NU Online News Service, April 4, 3:40 p.m.EDT

The Mexican earthquake in early April with effects in Californiacreated a loss for insurers estimated at more than $300 million,according to reinsurance broker Aon Benfield.

The "Monthly Cat Recap" report released by Aon Benfield, asubsidiary of Chicago-based reinsurance broker Aon Corp., said thateconomists estimate that the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struckBaja California, Mexico, on April 4 produced economic damagegreater than $1 billion and insured losses of more than $300million.

The quake was felt in Southern California where the town ofCalexico was most affected. Total economic losses across ImperialCounty, Calif., are estimated at $91 million, according to thereport.

The epicenter of the main earthquake was 11 miles west-southwestof Guadalupe Victoria in Mexico. The Mexican town of Mexicali washardest hit by the event, with 25,000 residents left homeless andtwo people killed.

Steve Jakubowski, president of Impact Forecasting, AonBenfield's catastrophe modeler, said the intensity of the quake wasfelt throughout northwestern Mexico.

"It also impacted southern California, but economic losses,insured losses and loss of life or injury were far lower due to alower population density and more robust structures," he said in astatement. "This event is also a reminder that, based on historicalactivity, California is overdue for a significant earthquake."

Noting the recent eruption of the volcano in Iceland thatdisrupted airline service for over a week, the report said that theincident "proved to be one of this year's most disruptive andcostly natural hazards."

While there was no loss of life or known damage from the Icelandevent, a plume of ash emanating from the volcano resulted in thecancellation of 102,000 flights globally and extensive disruptionfor more than seven million travelers.

With airplanes remaining grounded over a period of days,airlines' lost revenue was estimated at $2.6 billion, whileinsurance losses were relatively very minor, forecast to be at $10million.

There were several other major natural catastrophe events, thereport noted, but did not cite insured losses from thoseevents.

Asia suffered a series of natural perils in April. Severethunderstorms killed more than 137 people in eastern India andBangladesh, damaging or destroying in excess of 200,000 homes andleaving at least one million people homeless--possibly the greatestnumber of people ever to be left homeless as a result ofthunderstorm, Aon Benfield said.

In China, a strong earthquake in Qinghai Province killed atleast 2,220 people, injured more than 12,000 others and damaged ordestroyed 25,000 structures. Heavy rainfall in Hunan Province andsouthern China led to several deaths and the destruction ofthousands of homes. A fierce sandstorm in Gansu Province damagedmore than 1,000 homes as well as more than 511,000 acres ofcrops.

Additionally, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Northern Sumatra,Indonesia, injured at least 62 people and damaged more than 1,000homes.

In South America, heavy rains inundated northeast Peru, killingat least 28 people and injuring 54 others. Meanwhile, the heaviestrains in 48 years led to severe flooding in Brazil, killing 256people and injuring hundreds more, and causing an estimatedeconomic loss of $207 million.

And in Western Australia, a magnitude-5.2 earthquake damaged atleast 80 buildings and precipitated a $4.6 million relief effort torestore damaged historical structures.