VIDEO: Rain to continue in Nth Qld AAP, The Courier-MailMarch 11, 2011 ALMOST every inch of Queensland has been disaster-declared following the state’s devastating summer season. Premier Anna Bligh announced Richmond Shire Council and Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council were the latest local governments to qualify under joint state and federal government natural disaster relief and […]
By REBECCA THURLOWMARCH 9, 2011 SYDNEY—The damage done by Cyclone Yasi to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s top attraction, will take decades to fully mend, according to a growing number of scientists—which could reduce both visitor numbers and the local fishing industry’s catches. In the worst-hit areas “there was hardly a coral to be found […]
VIDEO: Floods hit cyclone-battered Cardwell By Peter Michael, Brian Williams, and Koren HelbigMarch 09, 2011 SHATTERED Cyclone Yasi victims are battling a second cruel blow as torrential rain floods already-battered towns, leaving residents stranded and sodden. Cardwell is isolated, with roads cut to the north and the south. Forecasters predict 200mm of rain between Cooktown […]
21 Feb 2011 (ITN) – Up to 300 people have been forced to evacuate their homes in northern Australia due to rising flood levels caused by Cyclone Carlos. River Daly peaked early in the day, flooding homes in the small town of Nauiyu, south of Darwin. Local reports state animals in the area were snatched […]
Expat Down Under Russell Ward felt strangely distanced from Australia’s recent spate of natural disasters – until someone in his family was affected. By Russell Ward18 Feb 2011 Expats in Australia will remember this summer mainly for nature wreaking absolute havoc across the country. It began in the second week of the new year with […]
Source: Maplecroft15 Feb 2011 The role of climate change in the recent catalogue of meteorological disasters will be hotly debated. It is widely acknowledged that a warming world will impact cyclone activity and rainfall patterns. However, the impact on the intensity of La Niña events remains uncertain. Event The 2010/2011 La Niña episode has left […]
By James Eck, Vice President,Senior Credit Officer, Moody’s Investors ServiceMoody’s Weekly Credit Outlook, February 14, 2011 Earnings reports from global reinsurance firms over the past two weeks shed light on losses arising from the December and January catastrophic floods in Queensland, Australia. While insured loss estimates are preliminary, we believe they will impact reinsurers’ earnings, […]
By ELISABETH ROSENTHALFebruary 12, 2011 Under the weight of record snows, roofs across the Northeast have been buckling this winter, raining debris on children skating in ice rinks, crushing cows and tractors in farmers’ barns and even flattening a garage full of antique cars. In December, nearly 18 inches of new heavy snow brought down […]
By Megan NeilFebruary 11, 2011 As Dudley Maslen watched in horror TV footage of the deadly ‘inland tsunami’ raging across southeast Queensland, it reminded him of September 11. ”To me, it was a bit like watching that 9/11,” he recalls. ”You’re watching it and it’s real but it’s just unbelievable. It’s just staggering, the absolute […]
By Ben BerkowitzWed Feb 9, 2011 9:53am EST NEW YORK (Reuters) – In Chester County, South Carolina, off a dirt road in the middle of a field, insurance companies are literally unleashing a storm. To simulate hurricane-like conditions, an industry group has built a wind tunnel big enough to accommodate nine large residential homes. Some […]
