Global Catastrophe Recap
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Global Catastrophe Recap December 2018 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 United States 4 Remainder of North America 5 South America 5 Europe 5 Middle East 6 Africa 6 Asia 6 Oceania 7 Appendix 8 Contact Information 16 Global Catastrophe Recap: November 2018 2 Executive Summary . Significant hail damage in Sydney metro region leads to considerable insurance payouts . Eruption of Anak Krakatau prompts destructive tsunami across Sunda Strait and least 437 fatalities . Powerful winter storms incur damage across the Central and Southern United States Australian insurers recorded the country’s costliest event since 2015 as severe thunderstorms spawned significant hail damage across the Sydney metro region on December 20. Worst damage was noted in the city’s northern suburbs. Preliminary claims data from the Insurance Council of Australia cited 81,194 claims filed with initial payouts at AUD674 million (USD485 million). This total was expected to rise as more claims are filed. The total economic damage cost was even higher. Severe weather outbreaks were additionally noted in the United States. In early December, convective storm damage occurred across the Plains, Midwest and Southeast, while damaging mudslides hit parts of California. On December 18, Washington state recorded its strongest tornado since 1986. Both total economic and insured losses for the peril were in the hundreds of millions (USD). Also worth noting, the state of Illinois set a single-day December record for tornadoes (27). Indonesia endured another deadly catastrophe on December 22, when underwater landslides caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano resulted in a destructive tsunami, affecting the Sunda Strait coast. The number of fatalities reached 437; the fourth-deadliest global event of 2018. It is worth noting that three of the top four deadliest events of 2018 occurred in Indonesia. The Sunda Strait tsunami destroyed at least 2,750 homes. Economic losses were expected to reach well into the millions of dollars (USD). Renewed volcanic activity was also noted on Mt. Etna in Sicily, Italy. However, notable losses were only caused by the associated earthquake on December 26, which affected the city of Catania and caused economic damage of approximately EUR100 million (USD115 million). Winter storms affected the mainland United States. A significant outbreak was observed from December 7-10 across the southern parts of the country. Widespread damage was noted in an area from Texas to Virginia and total insured losses neared USD200 million. Severe winter weather also impacted the Central U.S. in late December. Convective storm damage and torrential rain caused additional losses. Two notable tropical storms occurred in Asia: Tropical Storm Phethai affected the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in India between December 17-19. Moisture from Tropical Depression 35 and the Northeast Monsoon combined to spawn torrential rainfall across parts of the central Philippines from December 28-31. At least 152 people were left dead or missing after landslides and flooding in the country. Additional disasters in APAC region included flooding and storm events in Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. China was hit by a winter weather outbreak at the end of December; total economic losses in the northeastern provinces reached CNY1.24 billion (USD180 million). Global Catastrophe Recap: November 2018 3 United States Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) 11/29-12/02 Severe Weather Midwest, Plains, West 0 25,000+ 300+ million 12/07-12/10 Winter Weather Plains, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic 4+ 30,000+ 240+ million 12/18-12/20 Severe Weather Northwest 0 2,000+ 100+ million 12/26-12/28 Winter Weather Plains, Midwest, Southeast 0 Thousands Millions A multi-day stretch of inclement weather led to a series of low pressure areas tracking across much of the United States from November 29 to December 2, spawning notable damage in nearly a dozen states. At least one person was killed and dozens of others were injured. Impacts during the four-day period included mudslides in fire-stricken California, convective storm damage across the Plains, Midwest and Southeast, a single-day December record for tornadoes in Illinois (27), and isolated flooding. Total economic losses approached USD300 million, with insurers covering more than USD200 million. A potent winter storm developed and tracked across the southern United States from December 7-10, leaving at least four people dead and many others injured. The inclement weather was marked by heavy snow, freezing rain, ice, heavy rain, flooding, and gusty winds. The most significant damage was noted in an area from Texas to Virginia as most impacts resulted due to fallen trees and power lines, flood inundation, and traffic accidents. Total economic damage was estimated at USD240 million. A rare EF2 tornado touched down in the Seattle, Washington metro region on December 18 and led to notable damage. It was Washington’s strongest tornado since 1986. High winds and flooding rains also impacted other parts of Washington and Oregon. Total economic damage was estimated at USD100 million. A powerful winter storm spawned blizzard conditions across parts of the Central U.S. and severe thunderstorms in Texas and the Southeast from December 26-28. The inclement weather led to numerous road closures from Nebraska to the Dakotas as high winds and heavy snow made travel conditions extremely challenging. Convective storm damage was widely reported across parts of Texas, including around Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and Abilene. Torrential rains spawned isolated flooding across parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic as well. Total economic and insured losses were estimated to reach well into the millions (USD). Remainder of North America (Non-U.S.) Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) 12/17-12/20 Severe Weather Canada 0 Hundreds Millions A series of strong Pacific storm systems impacted parts of Western Canada from December 17-20. The areas of low pressure brought winds gusting beyond 100 kph (65 mph) to coastal sections of British Columbia as more than 150,000 customers were without electricity around Vancouver and Victoria alone. The back-to-back nature of the storms additionally brought heavy rainfall that caused numerous rivers and streams to swell. Total economic damage was expected to reach into the millions (USD). Global Catastrophe Recap: November 2018 4 South America Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) No significant natural disasters were recorded in South America during the month of December. Europe Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) 12/26 Earthquake Italy 0 Hundreds 115+ million An extremely shallow, magnitude-4.8 earthquake struck the northern suburbs of Catania, Sicily in Italy on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna on December 26, causing notable structural damage. The tremor occurred at a depth of approximately 1.0 kilometer (0.6 miles) and followed several days of elevated volcanic activity of Mt Etna, which resumed on December 23. Dozens of properties sustained heavy structural damage. According to initial assessments, economic damage was estimated to reach roughly EUR100 million (USD115 million). Middle East Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) No significant natural disasters were recorded in the Middle East during the month of December. Africa Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) No significant natural disasters were recorded in Africa during the month of December. Global Catastrophe Recap: November 2018 5 Asia Date Event Location Deaths Structures/ Economic Loss Claims (USD) 11/26-12/04 Flooding Indonesia 13+ 1,000+ Unknown 12/06/12/10 Severe Weather Indonesia 9+ 1,821+ Unknown 12/08-12/10 Flooding Vietnam 14+ 35,000+ Millions 12/17-12/19 Tropical Storm Phethai India 1+ Thousands 100+ million 12/22 Sunda Strait Tsunami Indonesia 437+ Thousands 250+ million 12/22-12/25 Flooding Sri Lanka 2 439+ Millions 12/27-12/31 Winter Weather China 0 1,400+ 180+ million 12/28-12/31 TD 35W (Usman) Philippines 152+ 17,482+ 200+ million 12/21-01/01 Landslide Indonesia 32 30+ Unknown Seasonal heavy rains led to widespread flooding and casualties across parts of Indonesia from November 26 to December 4. At least 13 people were left dead or missing on the islands of Java and Sumatra. The heavy rains caused flash flooding and landslides to sweep through the provincial regions of Central Java, West Java, North Sumatra, and Aceh. Roughly 1,000 homes and other structures sustained inundation. Further damage was incurred to local infrastructure and agriculture. Destructive winds, possibly a tornado, impacted the city of Bogor, south of Jakarta in West Java, on December 6. Local government noted 1,821 homes damaged as a result, of which approximately 40 percent were damaged heavily. West Java, East Java, West Sumatra, Riau and Bali were also hit by excessive precipitation between December 6-10, which resulted in localized landslides and flash floods, inundating hundreds of homes and incurring infrastructural damage. At least nine people were killed. Central Vietnam suffered significant flooding due to heavy monsoon rainfall between December 8-10, leaving at least 14 people dead or missing. The floods damaged or destroyed nearly 35,000 houses across the hardest-hit provinces of Quang Nam and Da Nang. Additional impacts to agricultural land and infrastructure were reported. Total economic losses were likely to reach into the millions of dollars (USD). Tropical Storm Phethai affected the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in India between December 17-19. One person was confirmed dead and seven others reported missing. Heavy rainfall and strong winds caused at least USD35 million in crop damage in Andhra Pradesh alone. The total economic loss, was expected to exceed USD100 million. A deadly tsunami struck the western coast of Banten, Indonesia on December 22, leaving at least 437 people dead and nearly 14,000 others injured.