Natural Disasters

A vivid look at Iceland’s recent resurgence of volcanic eruptions—and why the country could be in for 300 years of renewed volcanic activity

Scientists are working on ways to better anticipate the pathways—and health dangers—of drifting wildfire smoke

Catastrophic megafloods formerly happened about once every 100 to 200 years in California, but climate change has increased those odds

Only 2.3 percent of households in the 10 Kentucky counties that suffered devastating floods last month have flood policies, records show

Disasters so extreme that communities have not experienced anything like them before show the shortcomings of current preparedness plans

A warming climate, a unique topography and the legacy of coal mining have increased the odds of extreme flooding in Appalachia

Flash flooding occurs in a short time frame after a precipitation event and is exacerbated by paved surfaces and already saturated soil

Science in meter and verse

Fiery tests can assess new prototypes of portable shelters, the last line of defense for wildland firefighters

Thousands of lightning strikes and a warming climate have contributed to the fires burning around the state

The vast majority people exposed to both threats live in India and sub-Saharan Africa

But those that do form have a greater chance of becoming intense storms