Natural Disasters
Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo Volcano Erupts, Sending Thousands Fleeing
The peak is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, last erupting in 2002
Natural Disasters803 articles archived since 1845
Climate Change
Climate Change Added $8 Billion to Hurricane Sandy’s Damage
New research shows how much warming is costing society by exacerbating disasters
Natural Disasters
Fear Is the Key to Convincing Residents to Evacuate before a Storm
Safety officials need to use strong language and images to persuade the human psyche
Climate Change
Insurers Struggle to Forecast Near-Term Risks in a Shifting Climate
After a record-setting year for hurricanes and wildfires, the insurance industry is grappling with the role of our climate emergency in estimating local disaster damages
Natural Disasters
Floods Are Increasing in Supposedly Low-Risk Areas
The trend raises concerns about the accuracy of flood maps and the adequacy of insurance
Biology
What Monkeys Can Teach Humans about Resilience after Disaster
Following Hurricane Maria, a Puerto Rican colony of rhesus macaques broadened their social networks. Could humans do the same post-COVID?
Natural Disasters
Pressure Builds on Congress to Help People Afford Pricey Flood Insurance
Premiums will rise in October, but 51 percent of homeowners in high-risk areas are low-income
Natural Disasters
Hurricane Names from Greek Alphabet Are Dropped
Sticking with human names will lessen confusion and distraction
Engineering
Mississippi River Rescue Plan Called Too Big to Fail
Controversy surrounds the plan to cut the river’s massive levee in an attempt to save disappearing wetlands
Policy
FEMA Says It Will Make Disaster Response More Equitable
The Federal Emergency Management Agency acknowledges that recovery programs have unfairly burdened certain populations
Energy
Massive Power Failure Could Finally Cause Texas to Connect with the Nation’s Power Grids
Energy from neighboring states could have helped Texans survive their extreme winter storm
Natural Disasters
Why the Deep Freeze Caused Texas to Lose Power
Issues with natural gas supplies and the grid’s isolation both factored in to the massive outages
Natural Disasters
Miniature Satellites Reveal Cause of Deadly Uttarakhand Flood That Devastated Dams
The disaster draws attention to the controversial hydropower projects in the Himalayas
Natural Disasters
Deadly Himalayan Flood Shows Perils of Mountain Warming
Scientists think a huge chunk of ice or rock fell and caused a devastating surge of water down a river in India
Natural Disasters
Home Sales Need Better Disclosure of Flood Risk, Experts Say
A patchwork of state laws can leave some home buyers unaware of their risks and uninsured
Natural Disasters
Hurricanes Are Hitting Maximum Strength Closer to Land
The storms are also migrating to higher latitudes
Natural Disasters
Misconceptions about Wildfires Are Fueling the Problem
The 2020 wildfire season was the worst in California’s recorded history, with more than four million acres burned and almost 10,500 structures destroyed across the state. The fires were heavily covered by the news media, and some reports suggested California had suffered apocalyptic devastation and permanent loss...
Natural Disasters
Climate-Fueled Disasters Killed 475,000 People over 20 Years
Puerto Rico was identified as suffering the greatest climate impacts over that time period
Climate Change
Rising Costs of U.S. Flood Damage Linked to Climate Change
As warming temperatures intensified precipitation over the last 30 years, floods costs have risen by $2.5 billion
Natural Disasters
‘Nanolites’ Can Trigger Dangerous Volcanic Explosions
Tiny crystals play a big role in unexpectedly violent eruptions
