Hurricane Isaias to drive $1bn+ insured & economic losses

07.08.2020 701 views
Economic and insured loss totals from the impact of Hurricane Isaias are each individually expected to surpass the $1 billion threshold, according to analysts at Aon. Isaias swept across the Caribbean over July 28th to August 1st with notable impacts in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. It later tracked up parallel to the Florida Coast before landfalling in North Carolina on August 3rd as a Category 1 Hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 85mph. Significant impacts were experienced along a large portion of the eastern seaboard, including historic storm surge, hurricane force wind gusts, flooding rainfall, and damaging tornadoes. Isaias became the second hurricane, and the fifth storm to make landfall in the US during the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season. Across the Dominican Republic, landslides and downed trees were reported across multiple provinces, while 131 towns were isolated due to flooding of streams and rivers. Preliminary surveys indicated 1,119 damaged homes throughout the country, with the most significant damage reported in Hato Mayor. In Puerto Rico, at least 438,000 customers lost power and several river gauges were recorded at above flood stage after portions of the island received between 6 to 10 inches of rainfall. And similarly, in the Bahamas, there were widespread reports of power interruptions, downed utility lines, fallen trees, and flooding, as well as storm surge damage and substantial crop loss. Hurricane Isaias brought only minimal impacts as it tracked up the coast of Florida, but brought notable storm surge across portions of coastal South Carolina. Following this, the storm brought 2 to 4 inches of rainfall to North Carolina, as well as hurricane force wind gusts reaching 99 mph at Federal Point, and multiple confirmed tornadoes. A NWS damage survey reported dozens of destroyed mobile homes, along with multiple single-story homes – some of which were left unrecognizable – while flooding inundated roadways and stranded vehicles. Aon reports that the hurricane then moved up across Virginia, where similar levels of inland flooding were reported, before tracking across Maryland and Delaware, where it caused more flooding and minor wind damage. Beyond this, Isaias continued to cause minor disruption in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York as it weakened significantly, although power outages and downed trees were reported as far as Connecticut and New Hampshire. While Aon believes that the economic and insured loss totals from Isaias will both eventually surpass $1 billion, it warned that it remains too early to provide a more precise loss estimate, given that damage surveys across the Caribbean, US and Canada remain on-going. Source - https://www.reinsurancene.ws
27.01.2026

New Zealand growers report limited crop damage but logistics disruption

Early reports indicate that most growers in New Zealand came through the recent heavy rain and flooding with limited impacts, according to Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Kate Scott. While the weather created operational challenges, there have been no widespread crop losses or major damage to orchard infrastructure reported so far.

27.01.2026

USA - Row crop farmers continue to face financial stress amid federal payments

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture prepares to give $11 billion to farmers across the U.S., row crop producers are continuing to see a yet another year of financial strain.

27.01.2026

FAO Boosts Food Security in Haiti and the Dominican Republic with Emergency Agriculture Support

A high-level mission from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to Haiti and the Dominican Republic highlighted the critical need for coordinated action to address food security across the Caribbean. 

27.01.2026

US$9,4m drive to climate-proof Zimbabwe agriculture launched

Zimbabwe is taking bold steps to safeguard its agriculture against climate shocks with the launch of the US$9,4 million Resilient Agriculture Cluster Project (RACP), a pioneering initiative supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and IFAD.

27.01.2026

Kenyan Small-Scale Farmers Gain Crop Insurance Amid Climate Shocks

In Kenya, crop production is gradually shifting from a struggle for survival to a pathway for economic opportunity. For many years, farmers have faced unpredictable weather, fragile soils, limited drying options, and uncertainty about where their harvest would be sold.

27.01.2026

USA - Winter storm takes a toll on agriculture in the South

Freezing temperatures and ice of the past weekend have impacted industries from timber to sugar cane, crawfish to cattle. 

26.01.2026

EU streamlines farm rules, promising €215m savings for agriculture

The European Commission has adopted nine new legal acts to cut administrative requirements under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including changes it said could save farmers across the bloc up to €215 million a year.

26.01.2026

Uzbekistan, Canada Discuss Joint Agricultural Research

Uzbek Minister of Agriculture Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov has held a working meeting with Ben Bradshaw, Assistant Vice-President for International Cooperation at the University of Guelph (Canada), to discuss prospects for joint scientific research.