Page 23 - Sphere No.29 (Jun 2011)

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Sphere
2010 Event Region Description
January Winter damage Europe Heavy snowfall leading to widespread infrastructure damage and loss
January Winter damage China Heavy snowfall damaging homes, crops and livestock
March Earthquake Turkey A 6.1 magnitude earthquake destroying hundreds of buildings
April Earthquake China A 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Qinghai Province causing landslides and
damaging homes and telecommunications systems
April Volcano Iceland Eruption of volcano Eyjafjallajokull, emitting a cloud of gas and ash across
much of Europe and causing widespread disruption to air traffic
June Cyclone India, Oman,
Pakistan
Cyclone Phet and subsequent storm surge damaging/destroying homes,
vehicles, power lines and water, gas and electricity systems
June Severe storms Myanmar,
Bangladesh
Flash floods and landslides damaging/destroying infrastructure, crops and
homes
June-July Severe storms China Floods and landslides damaging one million buildings, collapsing bridges and
causing severe damage to infrastructure and crops
June Floods France Flash floods damaging thousands of homes and automobiles
June Severe storms USA Thunderstorms and tornadoes destroying homes, businesses and automobiles,
leaving 450,000 without electricity
July-
September
Floods Pakistan Torrential monsoon rains affecting 10,000 villages and damaging/destroying
homes, power facilities, infrastructure and cropland
Summer Heat wave Russia Worst drought in 130 years, resulting in wildfires and the burning of 2,500 homes
and widespread areas of cropland and forestry, plus heavy smog in urban regions
August Flash floods China Flash floods and landslides damaging infrastructure and more than 4,000 homes
August Volcano Indonesia Mount Sinabung, in North Sumatra, erupting in late August, sending sand and
ash up to 1.6 km high
September Earthquake New Zealand A magnitude 7.0 earthquake close to Christchurch, destroying infrastructure
and more than 100,000 homes
September Hurricane Mexico Hurricane Karl and subsequent flooding destroying thousands of homes,
businesses and automobiles and interrupting oil production
October Hurricane China, Philip-
pines, Taiwan
Super Typhoon Megi destroying 31,000 homes and damaging another 118,000,
along with crops, livestock and infrastructure
October Earthquake Indonesia A 7.7 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami destroying thousands of
homes, roads and bridges and displacing 20,000 people
October-
November
Volcano Indonesia Mount Merapi in Central Java emitting gas and ash, destroying 2,300 homes,
disrupting flights and leading to the evacuation of 400,000 people.
December
- January
2011
Floods Australia Major floods destroying infrastructure and agriculture and interrupting coal
production
The Hutchison spirit
All HWL businesses across the world take pride in how their contingency and back-up plans
keep employees safe and operations running. Through regular maintenance and emergency
response drills, employees know how to react quickly, cope with potential danger and minimise
disruption to business.
These hard-working individuals also go the extra mile to ensure that their customers have the
best possible service even in the most confronting situations. HWL salutes its employees for keeping
the wheels of commerce turning safely but surely whenever and wherever our living planet reminds us
who is boss.
The chart above, derived from Munich Re’s 2010 list of natural catastrophes, highlights events that occurred in countries where
Hutchison businesses operate.