"Floodwaters in two Houston neighborhoods have been contaminated with bacteria and toxins that can make people sick, testing organized by The New York Times has found. Residents will need to take precautions to return safely to their homes, public health experts said."
"A weakened Irma brought rain and wind to a wide section of the country on Tuesday after causing at least 11 deaths and leaving some 6.7 million people without power in five states."
By EMILY GERTZ
Earthquakes, hurricanes, chemical spills and more: Natural (and unnatural) disasters intersect frequently with the environmental beat. And reporting from the scene of a disaster means taking particular care with what gear and supplies you bring with you.
Will there be power where you're going? Safe drinking water? Open gas stations? How will you file your stories if land lines or cell phone networks aren't operating?
"Mar-a-Lago. Trump National Doral Miami. Trump Palace. Trump Royale. Trump International Beach Resort Miami. Trump Hollywood. These Trump-owned or Trump-branded properties are in south Florida, in the path of Hurricane Irma. All are exalted by the Trump Organization and by the president himself. All could be underwater by the end of the century."
"Commemorations for the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks began in New York late last week as they have for multiple years, with twin beams of light piercing the night sky, a tribute to those lost in the World Trade Center that could be seen across the region."
"Industrial safety advocates and Texas residents say a flood-related fires and explosions at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, underscores the need for a worker and community safety regulation."
"For much of this week and last, devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean has grabbed front-page headlines. But wildfires in the West have been wreaking destruction of their own, though it has attracted less attention. Vast swaths of land have burned, choking the air with ash and smoke."
"Dr. Carrie de Moor has a nasty cough, and she’s not sure if it's allergies or one of the common respiratory infections that have been spreading since Hurricane Harvey hit southeast Texas late last month."
"The toll on Texas and risks to Florida and the islands from massive storms in an era of global warming did little to sway officials who deny climate change."
"The Environmental Protection Agency wants answers from Arkema. On the same day first-responders sued the company for exposing them to toxic fumes, the EPA sent an eight page letter demanding a long list of documents and details on the incident at the Crosby plant."
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