http://www.rms.com/RMS Cat Updates is a service that offers e-mail notifications and web updates for catastrophe event occurrences around the world. The RMS catastrophe response team monitors global windstorm, earthquake, and other hazard activity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and notifies subscribers of significant event occurrences before and after they strike.Copyright 2012, Risk Management Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.2/6/2012, Philippines - On Monday, 6 February a magnitude Mw 6.7 (regional moment magnitude) earthquake struck the Cebu Region of the Central Visayas, Philippines at 03:39 UTC (11:49am local time). The USGS have reported a depth of 12.4 miles and an epicentral location of 9.96°N, 123.25°E, approximately 50 mi (80km) southwest of Cebu Cityand over 350 mil (563 km) south-southeast of the capital Manila. According to the USGS PAGER, the maximum intensity of ground shaking in the vicinity of the epicenter was VII (very strong) on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale. This level of shaking can be expected to cause moderate damage to resistant structures and moderate/heavy damage to vulnerable structures. The USGS PAGER reports that an estimated 104 people were exposed to this level of shaking, whilst over 4.3 million people were exposed to intensity V or stronger shaking, where there is potential for damage to structures to occur. Two aftershocks measuring 4.8 Mb (body wave magnitude) and 5.6 Mb (body wave magnitude) occurred in the region within half an hour of the earthquake. Preliminary reports indicate the collapse of a three-storey office building in La Libertad, Negros Oriental and that 30 homes have been buried due to landslides in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. There have been five reported fatalities and at least 30 people missing. RMS will continue to monitor the region for emerging damage reports. http://www.rms.com/Catastrophe/Catupdates/CatSummary.asp?event_id=3432E3432-2012-02-06-00-00-00Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PST2/6/2012, Queensland, Australia - Monsoonal rains since mid-January have resulted in flooding in northeast Australia, affecting the states of Queensland and northern regions of New South Wales. Southwest Queensland has been particularly affected - the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared a catastrophe for the inundated communities in southwest Queensland, including the Roma, Mitchell, Charleville and St George regions. According to information from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology rainfall in the east of the South West region of Queensland in January 2012 has been around 200mm above average (1961 to 1990) for the month. The Queensland Emergency Management Service has reported that, as of 09:00 UTC on Monday, 6 February, around 280 homes in Mitchell (population ~1,000) and at least 400 in Roma (~6,000) have been affected by floodwaters. The service is reporting that 30 homes in the township of St George (population ~2,500) have been inundated by floodwaters – the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is expecting the river in St George to peak above 14 m (in excess of the record set in March 2010 of 13.4 m) on Thursday, threatening further homes. Mandatory evacuations are in place in St George. In northern New South Wales approximately 300 homes have been affected by flooding - according to the New South Wales Emergency Services the floodwaters are causing extensive isolations across the northern region of the state, with around 7,000 from rural communities isolated by floodwaters. Flood policies in Australia are currently under review following the recommendations of the National Disaster Insurance Review in response to the devastating floods of January 2011. The ICA has reported that losses from the Queensland floods December, 21, 2010 through to January, 14, 2011 total AUS$2.38billion. The flooding in 2011 affected a much broader area of Queensland, with significantly higher rainfall than has been observed in 2012. Furthermore the populated regions of the east coast of Queensland, including Brisbane, were affected in 2011 – to date these areas have not been affected. http://www.rms.com/Catastrophe/Catupdates/CatSummary.asp?event_id=3434E3434-2012-02-06-00-00-00Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PST