AIR Releases Comprehensive Japan Earthquake Model Update following Tohoku

Japan Earthquake Insurance 2011

BOSTON, July 1, 2013 – Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide today announced that it has updated its Earthquake Model for Japan to include insights gained from the Great Tohoku earthquake of March 2011, which yielded a vast amount of ground motion data, damage observations, and detailed claims data. As a result, the AIR model represents the industry’s first and currently only comprehensive view of seismic risk in Japan post-Tohoku. In addition to capturing the complex seismicity of Japan and the changes that took place as a result of the Tohoku…

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M 7.3 Earthquake Strikes Off Japan; Little Damage Reported: AIR

Insurance industry News

BOSTON, Dec. 7, 2012 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan today, 270 kilometers from the Japanese city of Sendai, at 18:18:24 local time. The event struck in the same plate boundary region impacted by last year’s devastating M 9.0 Tohoku earthquake, although that quake’s epicenter was about 150 kilometers closer to mainland Japan. According to AIR, given the distance of this event from shore, only minimal non-structural damage is expected, and insured losses are not expected to…

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Understanding Earthquake Risk in Japan Following the Tohoku-Oki Earthquake

BOSTON, Feb. 16, 2012 – Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide released a new report titled, “Understanding Earthquake Risk in Japan Following the Tohoku-Oki Earthquake of March 11, 2011.” The M9.0 Tohoku earthquake changed the seismic risk landscape of Japan. In response, AIR scientists have conducted a detailed analysis of whether and where the stresses relieved by the Tohoku earthquake have been transferred to neighboring faults. Although damage from this event is most closely associated with the massive tsunami-which in places reached a height of more than 30 meters and demolished…

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Slow Moving Tropical Storm Ma-On Makes Landfall, Bringing Heavy Rains to Southern Japan

BOSTON, July 20, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Tropical Storm Ma-On made landfall in southern Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku Island late Tuesday night local time. “The sixth named storm of the season and the first to make landfall in Japan this year, Ma-On had maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h at landfall, making it a severe tropical storm on Japan Meteorological Agency’s (JMA) intensity scale,” said Dr. Peter Sousounis, principal scientist at AIR Worldwide. “The storm briefly reintensified to typhoon strength as it swept near southern…

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