emergency News

Power Line Falls on Car During Oregon Ice Storm, Killing 3

A power line fell on a parked car in northeast Portland, Oregon, killing three people and injuring a baby during an ice storm that turned roads and mountain highways treacherous in the Pacific Northwest. Shortly before noon on Wednesday, dispatchers …

Authorities in Alaska Suspend Search After Deadly Landslide

Authorities have suspended the search for the 12-year-old boy still missing following a deadly landslide in the southeast Alaska community of Wrangell. Five people have been confirmed killed in the landslide and their bodies recovered: Otto Florschutz, Timothy and Beth …

California-Oregon Wildfires Prompt Evacuation Orders

Growing fires near the California-Oregon border have prompted evacuation orders. A Siskiyou County wildfire, the Head Fire, started in the Klamath National Forest after a bout of thunderstorms and lightning. A social media post from U.S. Forest Service reported 13 …

Bursting Ice Dam in Alaska Highlights Risks of Glacial Flooding

The gray, two-story home with white trim toppled and slid, crashing into the river below as rushing waters carried off a bobbing chunk of its roof. Next door, a condo building teetered on the edge of the bank, its foundation …

Glacial Dam Outburst in Alaska Eroded Riverbanks, Destroyed at Least 2 Buildings

Raging waters that ate away at riverbanks, destroyed at least two buildings and damaged others had receded Monday in Alaska`s capital city after an outburst of weekend flooding from a glacial lake, authorities said. Levels along the Mendenhall River had …

Alaska Volcano Eruption Eases After Massive Ash Cloud

An ongoing eruption of a remote volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands produced an ash cloud so large this week that warnings were sent to pilots about potentially dangerous conditions. An ash cloud with an initial height of around 5.5 miles …

Heat Wave Baking Southwest Brings Triple Digit Temperatures and Fire Risk to California

After a historically wet winter and a cloudy spring, California`s summer was in full swing Thursday as a heat wave that`s been scorching much of the U.S. Southwest brings triple digit temperatures and an increased risk of wildfires. Blistering conditions …

Sinkhole Opens in California, Nearly Swallows Fire Engine

A water main burst under a Hollywood street in California, creating a sinkhole that almost swallowed a fire engine and showering a home with so much water the roof collapsed, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. Flooding was reported around …

California Earthquake False Alarm Offers a Lesson for Crisis Communicators

An earthquake false alarm nearly four years ago can teach disaster and emergency planners – and any crisis communicators, including insurers – a thing or two about communicating to the public during and after a crisis. In May 2019, an …

New Mexico Delegation Seeks Changes to Wildfire Aid Rules

New Mexico’s congressional delegation says the U.S. government should make changes to rules proposed for processing damage claims stemming from a historic wildfire sparked by forest managers. The delegation sent a letter to FEMA on Thursday as the federal agency …