Other global natural catastrophe highlights for the first half of 2015 include:

A total of over 16,000 people died in severe weather events and earthquakes, which was much greater than in the previous year (2,800), but far lower than the average for the past 30 years (27,000).
The overall losses and insured losses were below long-term average values. Total losses in the first half of 2015 incurred were $35 billion, whereas the average value for the last 30 years is approximately $64 billion when adjusted for inflation. Insured losses for this year so far have been $12 billion, compared with a long-term average of $15 billion.
On April 25, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake caused catastrophic devastation throughout Nepal. A total of 8,850 people were killed, and many cultural heritage sites were destroyed. It was the natural catastrophe with the largest number of fatalities in the first half of the year and also the most severe event in terms of overall losses, which totalled $4.5 billion, of which only $140 million was insured. An additional 230 people died in a 7.3 magnitude earthquake two and a half weeks later.
The costliest natural catastrophe in Europe was winter storm Niklas, which swept across large areas of central Europe in the closing days of March, with wind speeds peaking at approximately 125 mph. A large number of buildings and vehicles were damaged. The overall loss was $1.4 billion, of which around $ 1 billion was insured.
At the close of the first half of the year, there was an exceptionally strong heatwave in India and Pakistan that killed 3,600 people. While heatwaves in the region are not uncommon before the start of the monsoon season, the temperatures, which climbed as high as 116°F, were exceptional.

See more detailed information on global natural catastrophe events and losses in the chart on the next page:

Special Reports /

North American insured Cat losses total $8B so far in 2015

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