Disasters

"Nuclear Rules in Japan Relied on Old Science"

"In the country that gave the world the word tsunami, the Japanese nuclear establishment largely disregarded the potentially destructive force of the walls of water. The word did not even appear in government guidelines until 2006, decades after plants — including the Fukushima Daiichi facility that firefighters are still struggling to get under control — began dotting the Japanese coastline."

Source: NY Times, 03/28/2011

Chaos? Trump Plans To Merge Wildland Firefighting Into One Agency.

"President Donald Trump’s administration is trying to merge the government’s wildland firefighting efforts into a single agency, a move some former federal officials warn could increase the risk of catastrophic blazes and ultimately cost billions of dollars."

Source: AP, 05/21/2025

"Where Local Forecast Offices No Longer Monitor Weather Around-The-Clock"

"For at least half a century, the National Weather Service has been an around-the-clock operation. But after the U.S. DOGE Service led efforts to shrink the federal government, that is no longer possible in some parts of the country."

Source: Washington Post, 05/21/2025

"FEMA Should Take New Name, States Should Bear Costs, DHS Head Noem Says"

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency should be renamed as the agency is reformed to increase the burden on states to respond to natural disasters, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at a meeting on reforming FEMA on Tuesday."

Source: Reuters, 05/21/2025

Company Decides Not To Rebuild Ga. Chlorine Plant With History Of Fires

"The company that operated a Georgia chlorine plant with a history of explosions, chemical fires and toxic clouds that have drifted over neighborhoods outside Atlanta has decided not to rebuild the main manufacturing facility in Conyers."

Source: AP, 05/20/2025

"Helene’s Unheard Warnings"

"As Hurricane Helene barrels toward Yancey County in North Carolina, the predictions are grim. Communities along the Cane River in the Black Mountains are particularly vulnerable. But there are no evacuation orders, even for the people living in homes along these rivers and creeks. Few grasp what’s coming."

Source: ProPublica, 05/20/2025

15 Years After Deepwater Spill, Researchers Reveal Most-Polluting Rigs

"Satellite imagery shows the worst sites worldwide for oil slicks and methane emissions. Report authors expect pollution will only increase as the Trump administration opens more waters to drilling."

Source: Inside Climate News, 05/19/2025

Puerto Rico: "Waiting, Often in the Dark, for Frozen E.P.A. Funds"

"The Trump administration is trying to claw back billions in climate grants, including $147 million that could help people in Puerto Rico withstand frequent power failures."

Source: NYTimes, 05/19/2025

Storms, Tornadoes Kill 28 In Kentucky, Missouri And Virginia

"Residents in Kentucky and Missouri sifted through damage in tornado-stricken neighborhoods, still on edge Sunday for more severe weather ahead after storms that killed more than two dozen people as they swept through parts of the Midwest and South."

Source: AP, 05/19/2025

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Disasters