Global Catastrophe Recap December 2019 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 United States 4 Remainder of North America (Non-US) 4 South America 4 Europe 5 Middle East 5 Africa 6 Asia 6 Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands) 7 Appendix 9 Additional Report Details 18 Contact Information 19 Global Catastrophe Recap: December 2019 2 Executive Summary . Record heat aids extensive Australian bushfires as large footprint ensures multi-billion-dollar cost . Typhoons Kammuri and Phanfone damage a combined 1 million structures in the Philippines . United States, EMEA and Americas experience a below-average December for natural disasters Number of structures damaged or destroyed by 1.09 million Typhoons Kammuri and Phanfone in the Philippines 18.2M Total area burned by wildfires during the Australian hectares Bushfire Season of 2019/2020 228 Number of fatalities caused by flooding events across deaths Africa and Asia in December M6.8 Magnitude and depth of the December 15 earthquake, 18 km the strongest 2019 tremor registered in the Philippines Drought Earthquake EU Windstorm Flooding Severe Weather Tropical Cyclone Wildfire Winter Weather Other Global Catastrophe Recap: December 2019 3 United States Structures/ Economic Loss Date Event Location Deaths Claims (USD) 12/15-12/18 Severe Weather Rockies, Midwest, Southeast, Northeast 18 15,000+ 235+ million 12/21-12/24 Flooding Southeast 0 12,000+ 125+ million 12/28-12/31 Severe Weather Plains, Midwest, Northeast 2 10,000+ 200+ million A potent storm system brought a severe weather outbreak and wintry weather across the Central and Eastern United States from December 15-18. At least 18 fatalities – including three tornado-related – were reported. The most notable damage resulted from dozens of confirmed tornado touchdowns, large hail, and damaging straight-line winds in the Southeast. Additional impacts from snow and ice led to thousands of traffic accidents from the Rockies to the Northeast. Total economic losses approached USD235 million; while insured payouts neared USD175 million. A slow-moving storm system spawned flooding rains across parts of the U.S. Southeast from December 21-24. Some of the most significant impacts were recorded in South Florida. Additional flooding was also reported parts of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Total economic losses due to the floods were estimated at USD125 million, with most of the auto-related flood damage and wind-related damage expected to be covered by insurance. A multi-day and slow-moving winter storm led to heavy snowfall, freezing rain, sleet, persistent rainfall, and severe convective storms across parts of the Eastern U.S. from December 28-31. No fatalities were immediately reported. Damaging synoptic winds gusted to 70 mph (110 kph) in Ohio which led to notable widespread damage to property and vehicles. Total economic damage was estimated at up to USD200 million. Remainder of North America (Non-US) There were no major natural disaster events in the remainder of North America during the month of December. South America Structures/ Economic Loss Date Event Location Deaths Claims (USD) 12/23-12/24 Wildfire Chile 0 245+ Millions 12/26 Flooding Colombia 18 Dozens Unknown A fast-moving wildfire charred parts of the Rocuant and San Roque areas in the Chilean city of Valparaiso on December 23-24. At least 245 structures, mostly homes, were destroyed; prompting a state of emergency declaration. Fire officials noted that the blaze covered 132 hectares (326 acres) and was quickly spready by gusty winds. Chile is in the midst of a severe drought, and government officials are concerned that continued hot and dry conditions through the summer months may enhance the nationwide wildfire risk. Ten fatalities were confirmed, and eight people were missing after flash flooding and debris flows hit the Tolima Department in central Colombia on December 26, following heavy rains. The municipality of Chaparral was the hardest hit. Global Catastrophe Recap: December 2019 4 Europe Structures/ Economic Loss Date Event Location Deaths Claims (USD) 11/30-12/02 Flooding France 4 Thousands 170+ million 12/08-12/09 WS Atiyah Ireland, United Kingdom 0 Hundreds 52+ million 12/15-12/17 Flooding France 3 Hundreds 100+ million 12/19-12/22 WS Elsa & Fabien Portugal, Spain, France 8 Thousands 200+ million An episode of torrential rain affected portions of Southeastern France from November 30 – December 2, which led to flooding in the departments of Var, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhone, and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Four people were killed. Atiyah, the first named extratropical cyclone of the windstorm season in Ireland and the United Kingdom, prompted minor wind-related damage in Ireland, United Kingdom and France on December 8-9. The most intense part of the wind field affected western Ireland and later Wales and Southwest England. The storm caused at least 10,000 power outages in Ireland and 30,000 in the United Kingdom, with isolated property damage and disruption in traffic. A succession of several Atlantic lows brought heavy precipitation and gusty winds to parts of France in mid- December, causing notable flood and wind-related damage, particularly in the southwest. Three fatalities were reported. The total economic damage cost was likely to reach well into the millions EUR. Notable flooding and wind-related damage occurred across Portugal, Spain, and France from December 19-22, as two mid-latitude areas of low pressure swept through western Europe: windstorms Elsa and Fabien. Eight fatalities were reported, along with notable property damage and widespread disruption. Aggregated economic impacts were expected to exceed EUR200 million. Middle East There were no major natural disaster events in the Middle East during the month of December. Africa Structures/ Economic Loss Date Event Location Deaths Claims (USD) 12/02-12/11 Flooding South Africa 2 Hundreds 10s of Millions 12/03-12/07 Flooding Uganda 30 Unknown Unknown 12/04-12/05 Flooding Burundi 38 Unknown Unknown 12/09 Cyclone Belna Madagascar 9 4,500+ 25+ million 12/13-12/14 Flooding DRC, Uganda 31 Hundreds Unknown 12/21 Flooding Burundi 14 220+ Unknown 12/25 Flooding Rwanda 12 115+ Unknown Prolonged heavy rainfall in Northeastern South Africa on December 2-11 prompted major flooding in several provinces, notably in Gauteng. According to media reports, approximately 700 structures, mainly of poor construction, were swept away. The financial impact was likely to be in multiple millions (USD). Several hours of intense rainfall triggered floods and landslides in the Eastern Region of Uganda on December 3. At least 30 fatalities were reported. Global Catastrophe Recap: December 2019 5 Heavy rain between December 4-5 triggering landslides that struck the Cibitoke Province in northwestern Burundi. At least 38 people were killed. Landslides and flooding also caused significant damage to the local infrastructure. Cyclone Belna triggered made landfall on December 9 near Malagasy town of Soalala and brought notable rainfall across the northern half of Madagascar, causing flooding and landslides. Heavy rain from the storm system flooded multiple settlements in Soalala and Besalampy districts, damaging dozens of private and public properties. Period of heavy rain in the ongoing rainy season caused flooding and landslides in parts of Uganda and northeastern DRC on December 13-14, killing a minimum of 31 people. Heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides across central and eastern regions of Uganda, causing at least seven fatalities. Hundreds of homes were affected. An episode of torrential rain caused flash flooding in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi on December 21. There were 14 fatalities and at least 30 injuries. At least 50 homes were destroyed, 40 severely damaged, and 130 were flooded. Notable flooding hit parts of Rwanda on December 25, following a longer period of heavy rains across the country. The nation’s capital Kigali suffered the brunt of damage, with at least 64 homes destroyed out of the 113 noted across Rwanda. At least 12 people lost their lives. Local reports also indicated minor damage to road, power and water infrastructure. Asia Structures/ Economic Loss Date Event Location Deaths Claims (USD) 11/01-12/31 Winter Weather Bangladesh 50+ N/A N/A 11/29-12/02 Flooding India 27+ 5,000+ Millions 12/02-12/04 Typhoon Kammuri Philippines 17+ 561,500+ 110+ million 12/02-12/31 Flooding Sri Lanka 24+ 2,000+ 25+ million 12/12-12/17 Flooding Indonesia 14+ 5,500+ 20+ million 12/15 Earthquake Philippines 12+ 45,800+ 100+ million 12/19-12/21 Flooding Indonesia 6+ 9,000+ 15+ million 12/24-12/26 Typhoon Phanfone Philippines 57+ 531,300+ 125+ million 12/31-01/03 Flooding Indonesia 68+ 50,000+ 1.15+ billion A cold front caused well-below-normal temperatures in parts of Bangladesh in December. According to authorities, at least 50 people were killed due to the cold snap between November-December. Torrential rain in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India damaged multiple houses on December 2 in Coimbatore and killing 17 people. Across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, rainfall since the end of November caused widespread disruptions. Between November 29-December 6, at least 5,000 houses were inundated, and 27 people killed. Typhoon Kammuri made landfall in the Philippines during the late evening hours on December 2 as a Category 4 storm. At least 17 people were confirmed dead by local authorities, and more than 320 others were injured. The storm damaged or destroyed more than 561,000 private and public structures and affected at least 130,000 hectares (320,000 acres) of cropland. Preliminary economic damage to infrastructure and agriculture alone was listed at PHP5.5 billion (USD110 million). A late onset of the northeast monsoon in Sri Lanka on December 2, flooding rainfall and thundershowers have led to overflow of multiple water reservoirs in the North, North-west, North-central and East provinces of Sri Lanka in December.