Water was June's primary element of destruction, causing a combined $27 billion in economic losses in Central Europe, Canada, and India, shows Aon Benfield's monthly global catastrophe recap.

Heavy rain from late May to early June in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, combined with oversaturated soil from previous flooding and melting snow, caused five rivers to overflow. Insured losses are expected to reach $5.3 billion, with the bulk of the damage concentrated in Germany.

Flooding in Canada's Alberta Province killed four people and prompted 75,000 evacuations. The Bow and Elbow Rivers became inundated and flooded downtown Calgary. The overall preliminary insured loss estimate is nearly $1 billion, but the economic losses of $3.8 billion made the June 19 to 24 rainfall one of the costliest in Canadian history.

In India and Nepal, an extensive monsoon and thunderstorms left 5,000 people dead or missing, victim to the flash floods and landslides that destroyed more than 1,500 roads and bridges along the Ganges, Yamuna and Ghaghara rivers and tributaries, all of which feed through the region away from the Bay of Bengal. The General Insurance Council has predicted that insured losses may reach $500 million.

Fire scorched Colorado in June with the most damaging blaze to ever hit the state. The Black Forest Fire, which took nearly ten days to die down, destroyed at least 511 homes, 71 businesses and 14,280 acres of land. The result was 4,500 claims that triggered more than $350 million in insurance payouts. Because many buildings were uninsured or underinsured, economic losses may reach $500 million.

Aon Benfield's report also highlights California's Powerhouse Fire, which began on May 30 north of Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles and was only contained on June 8. Though insured losses are not yet known, the blaze could cost $21.4 million in economic losses. It destroyed 30,274 acres of land, 30 homes and 28 outdoor buildings.

The Yarnell Hill blaze was the smallest but deadliest of the month's large U.S. wildfires; it charred 8,400 acres of land and killed 19 young firefighters. Aon Benfield expects total losses to be in the millions of dollars.

Wind in the upper Midwest, specifically a 48-hour long derecho that began on June 12, spawned 26 tornadoes and caused insured losses in excess of $325 million; and severe weather across the Plains, Midwest, Southeast, Ohio Valley, Midatlantic and Northeast outed power in Minnesota's Twin Cities and may cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars.

Special Reports /

Nearly $10B in Insured Losses from June Floods, Says Aon Benfield

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