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Home > Disasters

"Nuclear Rules in Japan Relied on Old Science" [1]

"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."

Disasters [2]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [3]
Public [4]
Asia [5]
Source: NY Times [6], 03/28/2011
  • Read more about "Nuclear Rules in Japan Relied on Old Science" [1]

Over 17,000 Ordered To Evacuate As S. California Wildfire Threatens Homes [7]

"More than 17,000 people were under evacuation orders in Southern California on Tuesday as a wildfire threatened suburban homes. The wind-driven Sandy Fire was reported Monday in the hills above Simi Valley, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles."

Climate Change [8]
Disasters [2]
Environmental Health [9]
Pollution [10]
Public [4]
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Source: AP [13], 05/20/2026
  • Read more about Over 17,000 Ordered To Evacuate As S. California Wildfire Threatens Homes [7]

TVA Put Out Booklet Downplaying Coal Ash Risks. Experts Call it ‘Dishonest.’ [14]

"A 35-page booklet distributed in a public meeting by the Tennessee Valley Authority about coal ash is filled with “lies” and misleading information, according to coal ash researchers."

Chemicals [15]
Climate Change [8]
Disasters [2]
Energy & Fuel [16]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Infrastructure [19]
Journalism & Media [20]
Laws & Regulations [21]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [23]
Pollution [10]
Technology [24]
Waste [25]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [4]
National (U.S.) [11]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Source: Inside Climate News [28], 05/19/2026
  • Read more about TVA Put Out Booklet Downplaying Coal Ash Risks. Experts Call it ‘Dishonest.’ [14]

Oily Sludge Is Flooding Their Dream Home. Okla. Regulators Don't Help. [29]

"The Merediths were forced to abandon their house after it filled with black goo, reaching gas concentrations at explosive levels. Despite evidence of oil and gas pollution, the state “wanted to act like it would go away,” the family says."

Chemicals [15]
Disasters [2]
Energy & Fuel [16]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Infrastructure [19]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [23]
Pollution [10]
Technology [24]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [4]
National (U.S.) [11]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [30]
Source: Frontier/ProPublica [31], 05/19/2026
  • Read more about Oily Sludge Is Flooding Their Dream Home. Okla. Regulators Don't Help. [29]

Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [32]

In the wake of two major disasters, beat reporters at The Washington Post examined systemic failures in response and recovery, and the human toll for affected communities. Journalist Brianna Sacks shares what she learned from those investigations, which won a large market award for beat reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Read our Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Inside Story [33]
Topics on the Beat: 
Disasters [2]
Environmental Politics [18]
Journalism & Media [20]
People & Population [23]
Policy [34]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Visibility: 
Public [4]
  • Read more about Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [32]

Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [35]

When it comes to tracking weather phenomena from heat waves and tornadoes to wildfire smoke or storm surge, environmental journalists could hardly do better than the vast array of data from the National Weather Service, writes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. A tour of data maps and viewers, forecasts and weather insights from the large scale to the local. 

SEJ Publication Types: 
Reporters Toolbox [36]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [8]
Disasters [2]
Journalism & Media [20]
Science [37]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility: 
Public [4]
  • Read more about Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [35]

Solar-Powered Charging Station In Cuba Brings Life To A Darkened Island [38]

"Yudelaimys Barrero Muñoz used to spend up to three hours on the side of a highway under the blazing sun waving money at drivers as she attempted to hitch a ride from Cienfuegos, Cuba to Santa Clara, where she buys supplies to resell and support her husband and two children."

Climate Change [8]
Consumer [39]
Disasters [2]
Energy & Fuel [16]
Infrastructure [19]
Technology [24]
Transportation [40]
Public [4]
Central America & the Caribbean [41]
Source: AP [42], 05/18/2026
  • Read more about Solar-Powered Charging Station In Cuba Brings Life To A Darkened Island [38]

"The Trans Canada Trail Connected The Country Coast To Coast. Not Anymore" [43]

"Climate change is putting the future of B.C.’s trail system at risk, as the province weighs the cost of repair after disasters. Communities like Princeton are facing the fallout"

Climate Change [8]
Disasters [2]
Infrastructure [19]
Natural Resources [22]
People & Population [23]
Transportation [40]
Water & Oceans [26]
Public [4]
Canada [44]
Source: The Narwhal [45], 05/18/2026
  • Read more about "The Trans Canada Trail Connected The Country Coast To Coast. Not Anymore" [43]

"Tree Lines Are Migrating. Some Up, Some Down." [46]

"Between 2000 and 2020, 42% of tree lines around the world crept upward, largely because of climate change. But 25% moved downhill, seemingly because of factors such as land use changes and wildfires."

Climate Change [8]
Disasters [2]
Public [4]
International [47]
Source: Eos [48], 05/18/2026
  • Read more about "Tree Lines Are Migrating. Some Up, Some Down." [46]

DHS Waives 29 Environmental Laws for Border Barriers Along Big Bend [49]

"Today, under authority of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act and the Real ID Act, the new Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin waived 29 environmental and conservation laws in the Big Bend Sector."

Biodiversity [50]
Climate Change [8]
Disasters [2]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Studies [51]
Fish & Fisheries [52]
Infrastructure [19]
Laws & Regulations [21]
People & Population [23]
Water & Oceans [26]
Wildlife [53]
Public [4]
National (U.S.) [11]
Mexico [54]
Source: Our Public Lands & Waters [55], 05/18/2026
  • Read more about DHS Waives 29 Environmental Laws for Border Barriers Along Big Bend [49]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/nuclear-rules-japan-relied-old-science [2] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/nuclear-power/radiation [4] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [5] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [6] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world/asia/27nuke.html [7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/over-17000-ordered-evacuate-s-california-wildfire-threatens-homes [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [11] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [12] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [13] https://apnews.com/article/sandy-fire-simi-valley-california-be9cce40d55499e6772328fa764954f6 [14] https://www.sej.org/headlines/tva-put-out-booklet-downplaying-coal-ash-risks-experts-call-it-dishonest [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [27] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [28] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15052026/the-tennessee-valley-authority-produced-a-booklet-downplaying-coal-ash-risks-top-researchers-call-it-dishonest/ [29] https://www.sej.org/headlines/oily-sludge-flooding-their-dream-home-okla-regulators-dont-help [30] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [31] https://www.propublica.org/article/oklahoma-oil-regulators-fort-gibson-meredith-family?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us [32] https://www.sej.org/publications/inside-story/reporters-expose-failed-systems-after-hurricane-ian-maui-fires [33] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/inside-story [34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [35] https://www.sej.org/publications/reporters-toolbox/hazard-duty-government-data-portals-help-report-extreme-weather [36] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/reporter%E2%80%99s-toolbox [37] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [38] https://www.sej.org/headlines/solar-powered-charging-station-cuba-brings-life-darkened-island [39] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [40] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [41] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/central-america-caribbean [42] https://apnews.com/article/cuba-solar-power-charging-station-panels-santa-clara-solinera-0dc6f6ea3fcc3edb37a4e045425e26f0 [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trans-canada-trail-connected-country-coast-coast-not-anymore [44] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/canada [45] https://thenarwhal.ca/trans-canada-trail-closure-kettle-valley/ [46] https://www.sej.org/headlines/tree-lines-are-migrating-some-some-down [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [48] https://eos.org/articles/tree-lines-are-migrating-some-up-some-down [49] https://www.sej.org/headlines/dhs-waives-29-environmental-laws-border-barriers-along-big-bend [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [54] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/mexico [55] https://ourpubliclandsandwaters.substack.com/p/dhs-waives-29-environmental-laws [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=1 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=2 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=3 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=4 [60] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=5 [61] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=6 [62] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=7 [63] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=8 [64] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster?page=745