NU Online News Service, Nov. 3, 2:58 p.m. EDT

Flooding, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake and tsunami combination,and a super typhoon highlighted what was a busy October forcatastrophes, in what has already been an active year, Aon Benfieldsaid in a new report.

"The breadth of natural catastrophes occurring this month is acontinuation of an already active year in terms of globalactivity," said Steve Jakubowski, president of Impact Forecasting,Aon Benfield, in a statement.

In the U.S., October saw the second strongest non-tropical orpost-tropical low pressure system ever recorded in the continentalU.S., Aon Benfield said. The system brought "severe weather,extremely gusty winds, torrential rains and heavy snows to easternsections of the country" between Oct. 25 and Oct. 28. Multipletornadoes touched down in Illinois and damaging wind was reportedacross Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin.

The system then brought clusters of thunderstorms across theGreat Lakes and Ohio Valley before later affecting the TennesseeValley and the Southeast. Aon Benfield said at least 52 separatetornado touchdowns were confirmed. The system then pushed east,with severe weather affecting North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia andMaryland. "Behind the front, near-blizzard conditions occurred inthe Dakotas," Aon Benfield said. The system caused "millions" indamages, according to Aon Benfield.

Also in the U.S., severe weather on Oct. 5 caused thunderstormsand torrential rains in Phoenix. Oct. 6 saw tornadoes in thenorthern part of Arizona. Aon Benfield said this system caused over$1.25 billion in damages.

Another system from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 brought wind and hailacross northeast Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, southernTennessee and northern Georgia, causing "millions" in damages, AonBenfield said.

Elsewhere in the world, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit westernIndonesia, triggering a large tsunami that reportedly reached 1,968feet inland. Within 24 hours, Mount Merapi erupted on theprovincial border of Central Java and Yogyakarta, shooting ash overalmost a mile into the air before covering in excess of 30,000homes in hot ash. Aon Benfield said damages were listed at $16.8million.

A trio of hurricanes hit the Caribbean, with Hurricane Paulacausing minimal damage, Hurricane Richard causing economic lossesof $24.5 million, and Hurricane Tomas, which is still active,causing losses expected to exceed $12.8 million so far.

Back to Asia, heavy rains from Tropical Depression Fourteen andother tropical moisture caused the worst rains in China since 1961,triggering floods that damaged or destroyed over 50,000 homes andother structures. Total economic losses were listed at $169million, Aon Benfield said.

Monsoon rains and flooding also impacted Indonesia's West Papua,Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan, with the Vietnam, Thailandand Cambodia floods combining to cause over $1 billion in economicdamages.

Super Typhoon Megi also struck the Philippines and China duringthe month, damaging agricultural, electrical and transportationinfrastructures with total economic damages listed at $281 millionin the Philippines and $412 million in China, according to AonBenfield.

Heavy rains and gusty winds in New South Wales, Australia, ledto the worst flooding in over 80 years in some locations, AonBenfield said, with damages estimated at $39 million, most of whichis expected to be covered by insurance.

"The powerful earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia; the floodsacross Asia, Europe, Oceania and Africa; the tropical cyclones inthe Atlantic, Pacific and Indian basins; and severe weather acrossSouth America in October all highlight the need for [reinsurers andinsurers] to keep informed on climatological and meteorologicalvariances," Mr. Jakubowski said.