Hail the size of baseballs pummelled Colorado last month, leading to at least $US1.4 billion ($1.85 billion) in insurance payouts, the costliest hail event in the US state’s history, according to Impact Forecasting’s monthly Global Catastrophe Recap.

Storm damage payouts in the US last month neared $US3 billion ($3.98 billion), with the overall economic cost estimated at $US4 billion ($5.3 billion). Several major storms caused severe damage in the plains, midwest, southeast and mid-Atlantic areas.

Flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka caused by the southwest monsoon, combined with rain from the incoming Cyclone Mora, killed at least 213 people and injured nearly 150, the Aon Benfield subsidiary says.

More than 21,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and thousands of other buildings such as schools and hospitals were affected, with total economic losses estimated at 30 billion rupees ($260.54 million).

In Bangladesh, Cyclone Mora caused widespread flood and wind damage, killing nine people and damaging 50,000 homes, with aggregated losses expected to exceed $US100 million ($132.74 million).

Powerful thunderstorms caused hail and wind damage in parts of Canada, Russia, China and Bangladesh, with combined economic losses exceeding $US100 million.

In Canada, major floods in Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes region and British Columbia killed at least four people and damaged more than 5200 homes.

Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania and Indonesia also experienced major flooding, while worsening drought conditions in northern China caused agricultural losses of at least $US122 million ($161.94 million).

Costs from drought in South Africa were likely to exceed $US100 million, while Cyclone Donna caused extensive damage in the Vanuatu island chain, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands.

Earthquakes in Iran (magnitude 5.8) and China (5.4) killed 11 people, injured hundreds and destroyed thousands of homes.