Active Events

Whether it's hurricanes approaching the East Coast, tornadoes in the Midwest, or wildfires raging out west, Nationwide^® keeps you up to date on the latest developments.

Nationwide responds to Ike
Shortly after hurricane Ike pushed its way into Texas, the Nationwide response effort began.

The strong category 2 storm, with winds of 110 mph, made landfall at 2:10 am near Galveston, TX. Its powerful winds, driving rain and floodwaters left millions of people without power and destroyed homes and businesses along the Gulf Coast. President Bush declared 29 Texas counties major disaster areas and local news reports indicate search and rescue operations are underway.

Nationwide's response effort is also underway with hundreds of claims associates and independent adjusters working on claims calls, mobile CAT units moving into place and supplies readying for humanitarian relief. Area agents only mildly affect by the storm are also pitching in by gathering supplies and offering help where it may be needed the most.

Policyholders with storm damage should call the Nationwide claims hotline at 1-800-421-3535 or contact their local agent. (9/15)

Strong earthquake strikes northeastern Nevada
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake shook rural northeastern Nevada early in the day, causing heavy damage, but no deaths or major injuries. The quake, felt across Nevada, Utah and as far away as Southern California, occurred in a sparsely populated area about 12 miles east of Wells, Nev. In Wells, the tremors shattered windows, ignited small fires and damaged most of the town’s buildings in its historic district. The last comparable earthquake in Nevada occurred near Mindon, Nev. in 1994. (2/21)

Another winter storm may blanket the East
Another winter storm may dump more than a foot of snow on eastern Vermont and western Maine today. Storm warnings are in effect from Indiana through Maine, but snow accumulations could occur as far south as western North Carolina. The storm, which is moving in from the Midwest, has the potential to cover parts of northern Ohio with 8 inches of snow by Wednesday – making it the snowiest storm of the season. Other parts of the Northeast may experience a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain before precipitation turns to snow. (2/26)

Severe weather headed for the South
Severe thunderstorms are moving across the south east bringing with it winds near 60 miles per hour, heavy rain, large hail and the possibility of tornadoes. The greatest risk will be near the Gulf Coast from Mississippi through the Florida Panhandle with some severe storms possible tonight over North and Central Florida. (2/26)

More tornadoes damage the South
Tornado-producing storms blew through the South on Sunday, damaging homes and businesses in Alabama and Florida and leaving thousands of residents without power. The heaviest damage occurred in Pratville, Ala., just outside of Montgomery, where 200 homes and businesses were either damaged or destoryed by the tornadoes and at least 30 people were injured. In Escambia County, Fla., a tornado destroyed four homes and about 60 other homes and businesses were damaged. Forecasters warned of 70 miles per hour winds and possible tornadoes as the storms moved toward Georgia, but no tornadoes were reported in the state. (2/18)

Blizzard warnings issued in the Midwest
A blizzard warning was in effect yesterday in Wisconsin and Iowa after a snow storm dumped as much as a foot of snow in parts of the state. The storm closed shopping malls, libraries and churches. Heavy snow and slush in Kansas City, Mo., also closed the airport for 6 hours, the longest closure in the airport’s 35-year history. In other areas of Wisconsin, freezing rain caused slick conditions on roadways. East of the snow storm, flood warnings were issued as heavy rains caused snow melt and added to already swollen rivers. (2/18)

Wintry mix coats Ohio Valley with snow and ice, continues toward New England
A winter storm traveling across the Ohio Valley on Tuesday dropped a wintry mix of snow and sleet, causing slick driving conditions in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. Snow fell early Tuesday morning and turned to ice later in the day. In Kentucky and Illinois, a thin layer of ice covered more than four inches of snow. Heavy ice also downed power lines, causing outages for 16,000 homes and businesses in Kentucky and thousands more in Illinois. The storm continued to move toward New England and dropped more than 8 inches of snow in Maine and Massachusetts on Wednesday. (2/14)

Freezing rain glazed Central United States with ice
Freezing rain coated Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri roads and power lines with a layer of ice earlier this week. Forecasters predicted up to an inch of ice. Accumulation varied across Missouri, with areas reporting a quarter inch or more. As many as 5,000 ice-related power outages were reported. The storm system then moved into the Ohio Valley, dropping a wintry mix on the region. (2/14)

Frigid temperatures nearly break records
Subzero temperatures in Minnesota came close to breaking all-time records this week. The temperature fell to 40 below with wind chill in Embarrass, Minn., one degree above the record set in Minneapolis in January 1888. (2/14)

Winter twisters leave swath of destruction
The deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States in over 20 years claimed more than 50 lives in four states earlier this week. Residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee are mourning their loved ones and beginning to sort through the debris left in the wake of this disaster. Nationwide extends our condolences to everyone who has been affected, and our representatives are standing by to help our customers take the first step to recovery.

To get started on a claim, contact your agent or call us at 1-800-421-3535 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or, if you'd prefer, visit our online Claims Center. We're here to help. (2/8)

Are you prepared for severe weather?