Nowhere in the world is the rising number of natural catastrophes more evident than in North America. The study shows a nearly quintupled number of weather-related loss events in North America for the past three decades, compared with an increase factor of 4 in Asia, 2.5 in Africa, 2 in Europe and 1.5 in South America. ... Up to now, however, the increasing losses caused by weather-related natural catastrophes have been primarily driven by socioeconomic factors, such as population growth, urban sprawl and increasing wealth. (Oct. 17, 2012, Munich RE press release, "Severe Weather in North America")

http://news.yahoo.com/analysis--the-cas ... -fema.html

FEMA changes?