Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Clean Up Underway for Mississippi County Hit by Tornado
May 27 2015 // A little more than four years after a powerful tornado destroyed most of Smithville, Miss., Monroe County residents are cleaning up from another twister. Monroe County Emergency Management Agency Director Robert...
Hurricane Protection System for New Orleans Tested by Army Corps
May 22 2015 // With hurricane season approaching, the Army Corps of Engineers is running through its plans to better protect New Orleans from flooding and testing pumps and floodgates built around this low-lying metropolis since...
Arizona Wildfire Season Delayed by Cool, Wet Weather
May 22 2015 // An unusually cool and wet May is delaying the start of the wildfire season around northern Arizona. Weather conditions at this time last year were hot and windy, frustrating firefighters battling what became a...
Dry Conditions Have Alaska Wildfire Responders Keeping Eye Out
May 22 2015 // Interior Alaska and other parts of the state are experiencing conditions ripe for forest fires and natural resources officials are urging caution in outdoor activities heading into Memorial Day Weekend. Information officer...
South Dakota Officials Assess Delmont-Area Tornado Damage
May 21 2015 // South Dakota and federal officials this week were assessing tornado damage to homes and businesses in Charles Mix and Douglas counties, including the town of Delmont. Officials say the preliminary assessment is the first...
Oklahoma Governor Seeks Federal Disaster Assistance Following Tornadoes
May 21 2015 // Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has requested federal disaster assistance for Cleveland, Grady and Oklahoma counties following tornadoes, severe storms and flooding in recent weeks. Fallin sent a letter to President Barack Obama...
Tornadoes Strike North Texas, Some Damage Reported
May 21 2015 // Tornadoes roared across North Texas, spreading widespread damage but leaving no immediate reports of injuries. What storm spotters reported as at least one tornado inflicted heavy damage late Tuesday night to houses and...
Louisiana Tornado Injures 3, Damages 3 Homes
May 19 2015 // A 110-mph tornado in Tickfaw, La. injured three people, damaged eight houses and uprooted hardwood trees, authorities said. The twister hit about 3:30 a.m. Sunday in Tickfaw, which is about 50 miles northwest of New...
Washington City to Get Tsunami Warning System
May 19 2015 // Birch Bay, Wash. will soon be equipped with a tsunami warning system. The Bellingham Herald reported that the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is working with the state to set up an emergency warning system for Birch...
ACE Appoints Kapoor as Terrorism & Political Violence Underwriter, UK & Ireland
May 19 2015 // ACE Group appointed Ashwin Kapoor as terrorism and political violence underwriter as it continues to invest in building its specialist insurance capabilities around the world. Reporting to Piers Gregory, terrorism...
Wyoming Tornado Reported by National Weather Service
May 18 2015 // A tornado touched down south of Torrington, Wyo. on Friday afternoon. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Chad Hahn is meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Cheyenne. He says the tornado touched down...
Quakes From Hawaiian Volcano May Signal New Eruption
May 18 2015 // A series of earthquakes and shifting ground on the slopes of Kilauea have scientists wondering what will happen next at one of the world’s most active volcanos. A lake of lava near the summit of Kilauea on...
Van, Texas, Tornado Blamed for $40M in Damage
May 18 2015 // An emergency official says a deadly tornado that blasted an East Texas town left behind about $40 million in damage. Van Zandt County emergency management coordinator Chuck Allen provided the damage estimate as recovery...
More Hurricane Drones to Fly Into Atlantic This Season
May 18 2015 // Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are planning to send more drones flying into hurricanes that develop during the upcoming Atlantic storm season. NOAA first launched the 13-pound...
The Value of Hurricane Forecasts
May 18 2015 // While state of the art of hurricane forecasting has improved over the last two decades, coastal exposures and populations at risk have also increased, offsetting those gains. Given the importance of forecasts to the...
Fracking, Earthquakes and Insurance: A Collision Course?
May 18 2015 // There is increasing information suggesting that hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as “fracking,” is not all it’s cracked up to be. While it is clear that the resurgence of oil and gas production in the...
Florida’s Hurricane Insurance Fund Replenished and Ready After 9 Quiet Years
May 15 2015 // Florida’s nine-year streak of avoiding hurricanes is helping the state reach a historic milestone: for the first time ever, the state-created fund designed to help pay out claims after storms has enough cash and...
South Dakota Tornado Damaged 84 Structures
May 14 2015 // Officials have confirmed damage to 84 structures from the tornado that ripped through the southeastern South Dakota town of Delmont on May 10. State Public Safety spokesman Tony Mangan says six of the structures were in...
Coalition Wants Well Moratorium in Oklahoma Earthquake Areas
May 12 2015 // A coalition of environmental and grassroots organizations is calling for a moratorium on the use of wastewater disposal wells by the oil and natural gas industry in areas where they may trigger earthquakes. Members of the...
Iowa, South Dakota Towns Assessing Tornado Damage
May 12 2015 // Residents of the tornado-ravaged Iowa and South Dakota towns are beginning to assess property damage after twisters hit on Sunday. In South Dakota, the Tripp-Delmont School District called off classes on May 11 because...
