As natural disasters and extreme environmental conditions became more commonplace around the world this summer, scientists pointed repeatedly to a shared driver: climate change.Conspiracy theorists pointed to anything but.Some claimed […]
Disasters and Emergencies
Trending topics and news from the Disasters and Emergencies category
Back to news homeHawaiian Electric Pushes Back on Blame for Deadly Wildfire
Even before the inferno that engulfed the Maui resort of Lahaina is fully contained, local officials and Hawaii’s leading utility are at odds over a fundamental question: Did a single […]
Hawaiian Electric Was Warned of System Fragility Before Maui Wildfire
Hawaiian Electric has known for years that extreme weather was becoming a bigger danger, but the company did little to strengthen its equipment and failed to adopt emergency plans used […]
When Tragedy Strikes in China, the Government Cracks Down on Grief
Many innocent lives were lost to tragic events in China in the past month. So far we haven’t learned a single name of any of them from China’s government or […]
Canada Offers Lesson in the Economic Toll of Climate Change
Canada’s wildfires have burned 20 million acres, blanketed Canadian and U.S. cities with smoke and raised health concerns on both sides of the border, with no end in sight. The […]
Backup Power: A Growing Need, if You Can Afford It
When frigid weather caused rolling blackouts on Christmas Eve across North Carolina, Eliana and David Mundula quickly grew worried about their 2½-week-old daughter, whom they had brought home days earlier […]
The Hidden Cost of Rebuilding After a Flood
When rising floodwater surrounded her home the morning of July 29, Carolyn Combs felt a sense of déjà vu. The year before, floodwater had filled the first floor of her […]
Britain’s Soaring Energy Costs Strain Crisis Responders
The day after an arctic blast of air hit Britain, plunging temperatures below freezing and blanketing the country in frost, a 72-year-old man finally got through to the advice phone […]
Climate Change Has Some Retirees Rethinking Where to Live
These health-related dangers are certain to increase as rising sea levels coincide with the growing elderly population along the coasts, Dr. Hauer said.In an analysis of all coastal counties in […]
Climate Change Could Worsen Supply Chain Turmoil
Chinese factories were shuttered again in late August, a frequent occurrence in a country that has imposed intermittent lockdowns to fight the coronavirus. But this time, the culprit was not […]