Floridians call for insurance reform to mitigate growing concerns of natural disasters

South Floridians were benefited with leniency earlier in the month when Tropical Storm Emily was weakened by its bout in the Caribbean. Only four months remain in hurricane season – one that was forecasted as being highly active – and no significant storms have yet reached the state. Despite the seemingly benign activity in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, insurers are warning residents of Florida to not be caught off guard, as a powerful storm can make landfall at any time. Spurred by this advice, and the recent disasters…

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Floridians call for insurance reform to mitigate growing concerns of natural disasters

South Floridians were benefited with leniency earlier in the month when Tropical Storm Emily was weakened by its bout in the Caribbean. Only four months remain in hurricane season – one that was forecasted as being highly active – and no significant storms have yet reached the state. Despite the seemingly benign activity in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, insurers are warning residents of Florida to not be caught off guard, as a powerful storm can make landfall at any time. Spurred by this advice, and the recent disasters…

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NOAA updates hurricane season forecast, still calls for an active season

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has updated their forecast of this year’s hurricane season. The original outlook was issued in May in which the agency noted that the current season would be more active than usual. Several major storms have already formed in the Atlantic Ocean, with some making landfall in Florida and Texas. None have cause any major damage, thus far, but that may change during this month as NOAA predicts as many as five category 3 hurricanes to form offshore. According to Gerry Bell, Ph.D., the…

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Emily Dissipates after Hitting Haiti; Rain still a Threat in Hispaniola

BOSTON, Aug. 5, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Emily remained stalled and disorganized in the Caribbean yesterday morning before finally reaching Haiti’s southwestern coast just before 5 pm EDT. As a result of interaction with Haiti’s mountainous terrain, the storm—at tropical storm-strength earlier in the day—rapidly degenerated. As of 5pm EDT last night, Emily had dissipated completely. It is now a remnant low pressure system, lacking a closed surface circulation. Even though the system’s winds are not a threat, rain and flooding are. Precipitation from Emily…

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Tropical Storm Emily Set to Hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic

BOSTON, Aug. 3, 2011- According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Tropical Storm Emily is expected to hit the island of Hispaniola-shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic-with heavy rain and 50-mph winds this afternoon. The rainfall should worsen in the course of the day as the storm passes over the island. Current projections show the center of the storm passing close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s devastated capital, where 630,000 people remain without shelter after last year’s January earthquake. A tropical storm warning is in effect for both countries, for the Southeast…

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