diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-install.yml b/.github/workflows/test-install.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..65994b79b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-install.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# Check if installation with conda/mamba works
+
+name: Install Test
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+     - cron: "0 6 * * *"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  install-conda:
+    name: Install from Conda
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest]
+
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+
+    steps:
+      -
+        name: Install with Mamba
+        uses: mamba-org/setup-micromamba@v2
+        with:
+          environment-name: climada_env_${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          create-args: >-
+            python=${{ matrix.python-version }}
+            climada
+          init-shell: bash powershell
+          # Recompute environment for each run, but possibly use cached downloads
+          cache-environment: false
+          cache-downloads: true
+          cache-downloads-key: downloads-${{ matrix.os }}-py${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      -
+        name: Test CLIMADA (bash)
+        shell: bash -el {0}
+        run: |
+          python -c "import climada"
+          python -m unittest climada.engine.test.test_impact
+      -
+        name: Test CLIMADA (powershell)
+        shell: pwsh
+        if: ${{ matrix.os == 'windows-latest' }}
+        run: |
+          python -c "import climada"
+          python -m unittest climada.engine.test.test_impact
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ae9b568374..b618408e94 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
 # Changelog
 
-## Unreleased
-
-Release date: YYYY-MM-DD
-
-Code freeze date: YYYY-MM-DD
+## 6.1.0
 
-### Description
+Release date: 2025-09-30
 
 ### Dependency Changes
 
diff --git a/climada/hazard/io.py b/climada/hazard/io.py
index 6f8bd01b09..679fd6722c 100644
--- a/climada/hazard/io.py
+++ b/climada/hazard/io.py
@@ -44,6 +44,18 @@
 
 LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+ATTRS_TO_CHECK = {
+    "event_name": (list, (str, np.str_)),  # int for backward compatibility
+    "event_id": (np.ndarray, None),
+    "frequency": (np.ndarray, float),
+    "frequency_unit": (str, None),
+    "date": (np.ndarray, (int, np.int64)),
+    "orig": (np.ndarray, (bool, np.bool_)),
+    "unit": (str, None),  # For backward compatibility. Replaced by units.
+    "units": (str, None),
+}
+"""Additional attributes that can be specified when reading a raster file"""
+
 DEF_VAR_EXCEL = {
     "sheet_name": {"inten": "hazard_intensity", "freq": "hazard_frequency"},
     "col_name": {
@@ -135,7 +147,8 @@ def from_raster(
         files_fraction : list(str)
             file names containing fraction
         attrs : dict, optional
-            name of Hazard attributes and their values
+            name of Hazard attributes and their values. See the ATTRS_TO_CHECK constant for supported attributes.
+            Missing attributes will be filled with sensible defaults.
         band : list(int), optional
             bands to read (starting at 1), default [1]
         haz_type : str, optional
@@ -693,11 +706,13 @@ def _check_and_cast_elements(
             # Perform type checking and casting of elements
             if isinstance(attr_value, (list, np.ndarray)):
                 if not all(isinstance(val, expected_dtype) for val in attr_value):
+                    provided_types = set(type(val) for val in attr_value)
                     warnings.warn(
-                        f"Not all values are of type {expected_dtype}. Casting values.",
+                        f"Not all values are type {expected_dtype}. Provided type(s): {provided_types}. Casting values.",
                         UserWarning,
                     )
-                    casted_values = [expected_dtype(val) for val in attr_value]
+                    cast_dtype = expected_dtype if not isinstance(expected_dtype, tuple) else expected_dtype[0]
+                    casted_values = [cast_dtype(val) for val in attr_value]
                     # Return the casted values in the same container type
                     if container_type is list:
                         return casted_values
@@ -712,10 +727,7 @@ def _check_and_cast_elements(
 
             return attr_value
 
-        ## This should probably be defined as a CONSTANT?
-        attrs_to_check = {"event_name": (list, str), "event_id": (np.ndarray, None)}
-
-        for attr_name, (expected_container, expected_dtype) in attrs_to_check.items():
+        for attr_name, (expected_container, expected_dtype) in ATTRS_TO_CHECK.items():
             attr_value = attrs.get(attr_name)
 
             if attr_value is not None:
@@ -777,6 +789,8 @@ def _attrs_to_kwargs(attrs: Dict[str, Any], num_events: int) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             kwargs["orig"] = np.ones(kwargs["event_id"].size, bool)
         if "unit" in attrs:
             kwargs["units"] = attrs["unit"]
+        if "units" in attrs:
+            kwargs["units"] = attrs["units"]
 
         return kwargs