Natural Disasters
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The Buckinghamshire Tornado
Barely a season goes by when the news isn't studded with headlines of devastating weather patterns. From floods, to gales to drought, weather patterns are changing.
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The Supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park
Beneath Yellowstone lies an immense supervolcano. Should a volcanic eruption occur, it would almost certainly result in nuclear winter and an immense loss of life.
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Coldest Decade on Earth in the Past 500 Years
1810-1819 was the coldest decade in 500 years. The Tambora volcano can explain the cold spell's second half. Now a mystery volcano seems to explain the first half.
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Mount Vesuvius, the Last Volcanic Eruption
The Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD destroyed the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. When did Vesuvius last erupt and when is the volcano likely to erupt again?
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The New Madrid Earthquake in Missouri, USA
The 1811 earthquake near New Madrid in the Territory of Missouri ripped open fissures in the earth and tilted the Mississippi River environs so that it flowed backwards.
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Twenty-Year Anniversary of Loma Prieta Quake
Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrower's Association staff compiled stories from recollections of some of the winemakers affected on that fateful 1989 October day.
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Santa Cruz Wineries Remember 1989 Earthquake
The epicenter of the Loma Prieta earthquake was in the Santa Cruz Mountains in the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, about 16 kilometers northeast of Santa Cruz, Calif.
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How to Help Victims of Disasters
People suffering from disasters need more than financial assistance. There are many ways to help victims of floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
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How Sydney Residents Prevent Bush Fires
Controlled-Burns help to avoid the risks of Bush Fires in the arid areas of New South Wales, Australia. See how this is achieved.
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The Causes of Forest Fires
The majority of forest fires could be avoided by one easy solution that lies within the grasp of most people, and that is the simple application of common sense.
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How to Save a Home from Wildfire
Watching the fire advance can leave homeowners with a sense of helplessness. But homeowners can take steps that may save their home without risking their lives.
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How to Survive When Trapped by a Forest Fire
Wildfire is quick, hard to predict and deadly. But knowing a little about how a forest fire behaves just might allow a trapped outdoor enthusiast to survive.
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How Hurricanes Are Named
Hurricanes, regardless of what they are called, are powerful storms that can cause a lot of damage. Naming them helps to keep the effects straight.
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Spotting Fires in California
California wildfires occur every year. In the Angeles National Forest there is a group of volunteers who often spot the fires before they become dangerous.
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North American Wildfires – Causes and Prevention
With recurring wildfires in California, Florida, and Western Canada killing miles of forest, questions surrounding their causation inevitably emerge. Are humans to blame?
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The Most Threatening of all California Wildfires
A California fire located in Angeles National Forest has spread out of control.
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Cyclone Tracy Destroyed Darwin, Christmas 1974
On Christmas Day 1974, Australians and people around the world heard the city of Darwin had been flattened by Cyclone Tracy. Seventy-one lives were lost in the disaster.
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Types of True Tornados
While there are other items that are similar to tornados (like dust devils) there are four types of true tornados.
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Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning
Can't tell a tornado watch from a tornado warning? Set the record straight on the differences and similarities of tornado watches and tornado warnings.
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What to do During a Hurricane Watch or Warning
Hurricane watches and warnings are issued to warn residents of danger and damages that could occur with a hurricane. Understand the warnings and prepare to minimize risk.
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Preparing for Hurricane Season
A hurricane can be dangerous to residents and their property, but learning how to respond to warnings and prepare for the storm's impact can minimize injury and damages.
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Volcano Observatories Provided Recovery Funding
The U.S. Geological Survey operates volcano observatories in volcanically active regions like those near Mount Redoubt in Alaska and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
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Flash Floods in the Cornish Village of Boscastle
Dramatic scenes of cars being swept away and people stranded on rooftops in Boscastle hit the UK screens in August 2004. What is the story behind this devastation?
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US Hurricane Intensity Categories
Hurricanes cause extensive damage every year during and after hurricane season. Knowing their categories helps predict how much damage a hurricane may cause.
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Stay Safe During Tornado Season
Utilize common tornado safety tips and remain aware of local weather conditions to stay safe during a weather emergency.
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Tsunami Warning Creates Chaos in Gisborne, NZ
The coastal town of Gisborne, N.Z. plunged into chaos after residents reacted to early morning phone calls from overseas relatives warning that a tsunami was coming.
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Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety Tips
Proper storm safety measures are vital to avoiding injury from lightning strikes during a thunderstorm. Learn how to prepare for a storm and employ lightning safety tips.
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Hurricane Preparations for Pets
Preparing for the care and safety of pets during hurricane season is important to their safety and well being. Pet safety needs early preparation and planning.
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Hurricane Preparations for Staying Home
People who choose to stay home during a hurricane need to be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days. Food, water and other supplies should be stockpiled.
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Hurricane Preparations When a Storm is Near
Days before a hurricane strikes there is time to evacuate safely. Having a list of items to pack makes this task less stressful on everyone involved.
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Hurricane Preparations Before Hurricane Season
Hurricane preparations early in the season and even prior to the season are essential to being ready when a storm is preparing to come onshore.
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Hurricane Evacuation & What Travelers Can Expect
Residents who choose to evacuate when threatened by a hurricane should plan wisely. Travelers face extremely congested driving conditions leaving town and returning home.
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Hurricane Evacuation – Staying in Local Shelters
Hurricane shelters accept evacuees before and after the storm has passed. Bring clothes, bedding, food, and personal items. Space is limited and pets are not allowed.
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Of Aqueducts and Earthquakes
For over four hundred years, mountain streams have furnished Rome with some of the world's best water. Yet the supply is perennially vulnerable to earthquakes.
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Earthquakes Impossible to Predict Accurately
Giampaolo Giuliani, says he predicted the earthquake that hit the Abruzzo region of Italy on
April 6, 2009.
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The Red River North is Rising and Threatening
As residents and volunteers have continued to work hard at first sandbagging and most recently at evacuations, the collective hope is that the make-shift dykes hold.
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Global Resource Crisis to Hit by 2030
Professor says that in just two decades the world will face massive upheaval because vital resources will be in short supply.
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Indonesia Opens Tsunami Museum
Indonesia has opened a four-storey building on the country's northwestern province of Aceh where over half of the estimated 240,000 people died.
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Climate Change Cause of 2009 Victorian Bushfires
A study by a non-partisan environment group The Climate Institute has stated the cause of the 2009 deadly bushfires in Victoria, Australia were due to climate change.
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When All Hell Breaks Loose, by Cody Lundin
Cody Lundin, the author of 98.6, The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive, has created another seriously in-your-face crash course in survival.
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Death Map a Picture of Natural Hazards in U.S.
Earthquakes and hurricanes make more headlines, but heat causes more fatalities across United States according to Death Map research released by BioMed.
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2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season in Review
2008 was yet another above-average season in the Atlantic Basin, continuing a multi-decadal period of above normal activity, and stronger than normal storms.
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Natural Disaster Scales
The Volcanic Explosivity Index, the Richter Scale, the Saffir-Simpson Scale and the Fujita Tornado Scale are used to warn communities of natural hazards.
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Rowing Through Hurricanes Across the Atlantic
Julie Wafaei, now Julie Angus and her fiance, Colin Angus, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. Julie became the first woman to row across an ocean, mainland to mainland.
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Understanding the New Fujita Scale
Nearly forty years of research in damage caused by tornadoes has resulted in a more accurate scale to measure wind intensity of these storms.
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Animals Included in Gustav Evacuation Plans
Pets were left behind during Hurricane Katrina. Other pet owners refused to evacuate so they could care for their pets. But for Hurricane Gustav, animals were evacuated.
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Hurricane Gustav Targets Louisiana
A mere three years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the city is faced with yet another disaster as Hurricane Gustav closes in on Louisiana.
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Natural Disasters of the 20th Century
The twentieth century saw some of the most violent earthquakes and destructive volcanic eruptions.
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Pilots Encounter Kasatochi Cloud
Pilots report that the August 7th, 2008 eruption of Kasatochi Volcano, Alaska, produced high-altitude ash clouds that presented hazards to aircraft.
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Satellites See Kasatochi Eruption
An explosive eruption occurred at Kasatochi Volcano (52.18ºN, 175.51ºW) on the afternoon of August 7th, 2008, sending volcanic ash and gas 35,000 feet into the atmosphere
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