Geology
Will It or Won’t It? Iceland’s Volcano Threatens Eruption
An enormous magma intrusion under Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula is causing earthquake swarms and forcing evacuations
Natural Disasters796 articles archived since 1845
Climate Change
Climate Changes Threatens Every Facet of U.S. Society, Federal Report Warns
The new U.S. National Climate Assessment details how climate change will alter nearly every aspect of American life—and how the U.S. can help avoid “potentially catastrophic outcomes”...
Weather
First-Ever Flood Forecasting Maps Show Houses and Roads at Risk
The National Weather Service has launched the first flood forecasting system with precise, real-time data showing spots that are at imminent risk of inundation
Natural Disasters
Wildfires Threaten More Homes and People in the U.S. Than Ever Before
The number of homes located within the perimeters of wildfires has doubled since the 1990s. A surprising ecosystem is responsible for the risk
Natural Disasters
Dangerous ‘Fill and Build’ Floodplain Policy Should Be Scrapped, Experts Say
A FEMA advisory council says a program that allows developers to elevate homes on fill dirt is environmentally harmful and can increase flood risks for nearby homes
Climate Change
Experts Urge Dramatic Shift on Flood Insurance
Millions more people in the U.S. may be required to buy flood insurance based on the recommendation of an expert panel at a time when climate-driven floods are becoming increasingly common...
Natural Disasters
Hurricane Otis Came Out of Nowhere to Slam into Mexico
Tropical Storm Otis rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane overnight in a region that has never seen landfall by a storm of such power before
Climate Change
Simultaneous Megafires Will Increasingly Plague the Western U.S.
The Western U.S. faces a future of fighting multiple large wildfires at once—a situation that is more difficult than handling a single blaze, even if the total acreage is similar...
Mental Health
Treating Mental Health as Part of Climate Disaster Recovery
Mental health specialists discuss strategies for residents reexperiencing trauma in the aftermath of hurricanes, wildfires and floods
Natural Disasters
FEMA Offers Every State $2 Million to Adopt Safer Building Codes
First-of-its-kind FEMA funding aims to update archaic building codes that leave millions of people exposed to climate-fueled hurricanes, floods and other extreme weather
Climate Change
Climate Disasters Displaced 43 Million Children in Just Six Years
The Philippines, India and China have seen the greatest total number of children displaced by disasters—some 23 million—in recent years
Climate Change
More States Are Requiring Flood Risk Disclosures. Florida Is Conspicuously Not among Them
More states are requiring homeowners to disclose a property’s flood risk and history when they sell it. But 18 states, including hurricane-prone Florida, have no flood disclosure requirements...
Natural Disasters
FEMA Disaster Money Flowing Again after Budget Standoff
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will resume funding long-term rebuilding projects after withholding funds since August
Climate Change
Climate Disasters Threaten to Widen U.S. Wealth Gap
About one in five U.S. counties are both socially vulnerable and highly exposed to natural disasters, which could “compound existing inequities,” the Department of the Treasury says in a new report...
Climate Change
New York City’s Floods and Torrential Rainfall Explained
Record-breaking rains caused major flash flooding in New York City, reminiscent of Hurricane Ida and a sign of what climate change will increasingly bring
Natural Disasters
Congressional Budget Turmoil Stops FEMA from Doling out $8 Billion
Puerto Rico will be hit hardest by spending restrictions set by FEMA as disaster funding runs short. More than $2 billion is expected to be withheld from the island, which is still reeling from past hurricanes...
Geology
Dead Trees and a Mysterious Cosmic Explosion Reveal Bigger Quake Risk for Seattle
Washington State’s Puget Sound could face previously unknown earthquake risks, according to a new study that has pinned down the date of an ancient earthquake using tree rings and the radiation left by a mysterious cosmic force...
Health Care
Climate Disasters Are Worsening a U.S. Blood Shortage
This summer’s floods, hurricanes and wildfires have prevented blood collection at a time when U.S. hospitals are already low on supply
Natural Disasters
A Record Number of Billion-Dollar Disasters Show U.S. Isn't Ready for Climate Change
The U.S. has already seen a record number of disasters costing at least $1 billion in 2023, which underscores how unprepared the nation is to withstand climate-driven catastrophe
Natural Disasters
FEMA Needs More Money to Keep Up with Disasters. Instead It Faces a Potential Government Shutdown
A government shutdown could force the Federal Emergency Management Agency to curtail all disaster activities at a time when it is already short of cash to respond to crises
