damage News

Magnitude 4.9 Earthquake Shook Idaho

An earthquake of 4.9 magnitude struck north of Boise, Idaho, reportedly causing no major damage or injuries, authorities confirmed. The quake happened at 10:25 a.m. on Monday and was centered about 6.2 miles north of Smiths Ferry, according to the …

Father in Gender-Reveal That Sparked Fatal 2020 California Wildfire Pleads Guilty

A man whose family’s gender reveal photo shoot sparked a Southern California wildfire that killed a firefighter in 2020 has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors said. The El Dorado Fire erupted on Sept. 5, 2020, when Refugio Jimenez Jr. …

Magnitude 5.7 Earthquake Struck Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the world’s largest active volcano on Friday — Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii — knocking items off shelves and cutting power in a nearby town but not immediately prompting reports of serious …

AccuWeather: Preliminary Damage and Loss from California Storms $9-$11B

The preliminary total damage and economic loss from the intense storms and record rainfall in California this week will be between $9 billion and $11 billion, according to AccuWeather estimates released on Monday. The atmospheric river hit California Saturday and …

Avian Flu Is Devastating Farms in California’s ‘Egg Basket’

Last month, Mike Weber got the news every poultry farmer fears: His chickens tested positive for avian flu. Following government rules, Weber’s company, Sunrise Farms, had to slaughter its entire flock of egg-laying hens — 550,000 birds — to prevent …

Home Fire in Alaska Kills Woman and 5 Children, Officials Say

A woman and five children have died in a fire at a home in a small northwest Alaska village, Alaska State Troopers said. The remains of the six have been recovered from the home in Noorvik, an Inupiat community of …

California to Get Drenched From Fast-Moving Atmospheric River

A fast-moving atmospheric river coming off the Pacific Ocean will drench northern and central California on Wednesday and then head for the the southern half of the state. Northwest California will likely get the worst of the storm, with as …

Oregon Jury Awards $85 M to 9 Victims of Deadly 2020 Wildfires

An Oregon jury awarded $85 million to nine victims of wildfires that ravaged the state in 2020, the latest verdict in a series of legal proceedings that are expected to put the utility PacifiCorp on the hook for billions of …

Startup AiDash Raises $50M for Tech Using AI, Satellites to Spot Wildfire Risk

A California startup using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellites to spot fire and weather risks on power lines, AiDash, reported it had raised $50 million in new funding, reflecting Silicon Valley efforts to create products that help energy companies adapt …

911 Calls From Maui Capture Pleas for Stranded, and Those Caught in Fire’s Chaos

The day after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century destroyed a seaside community on Maui, the barrage of 911 calls didn’t stop: Reports of missing people, stranded family members and confused tourists trapped without food or water lit up …