"Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:gcrcn3hik4gh50tvo8lrcscmtrhpjcdfvj@4ax.com...

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Natural_catastrophes_will_grow_with_12272007.ht
ml

December 27, 2007

Natural catastrophes will grow with climate change: re-insurer

AFP


Natural catastrophes in 2007 were more frequent and costlier than a
year earlier and climate change will make them more expensive still,
the world's second-biggest re-insurer, Munich Re, said Thursday.

There were 950 natural catastrophes in 2007 compared with 850 in 2006,
the highest number since the group started compiling its closely
watched annual report in 1974.

The total cost of disasters in 2007 was 75 billion dollars (51.5
billion euros), while the bill for 2006 was 50 billion dollars.

The 2007 figure was however far below the record figure of 220 billion
dollars in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina and an earthquake in Pakistan
caused devastation.

The most damaging event of 2007 was an earthquake in Japan in July
which caused 12.5 billion dollars of damage, while insurers took the
biggest hit from the Kyrill storm which ripped through Europe in
January, costing 5.8 billion dollars.

Catastrophes in developing and emerging countries caused most of the
20,000 deaths in 2007, with 3,300 people losing their lives in Cyclone
Sidr alone, which struck Bangladesh in November.

Floods in Britain were the second costliest event to insurers and
Munich Re said the high incidence of floods and storms in 2007 was a
sign of things to come if global warming continued unchecked.

________________________________________________

Harry

Yep. If you want a real estimate of whats going on, follow where insurance
companies assess risk. They're in that business and pay close attention to
reality and probability.

If you want to remain ignorant and foolish, follow right-wingers and Rush
Limbaugh. They use irrational hatred of Al Gore and pseudo-science paid
for
by Exxon as their source.