Latest Natural disasters News

Lahaina family finds cherished heirlooms and devastation in first home visit after deadly wildfire

Sep. 27, 2023 12:32 PM EDT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Leola Vierra stepped gingerly among the hardened pools of melted metal, charred wood and broken glass that are almost all that remain of the home where she lived for nearly 50 years. Sifting through the rubble, she found two cow-patterned vessels, part of her...

The first Lahaina residents return to the wildfire burn zone on supervised visits to devastated properties

Sep. 25, 2023 14:20 PM EDT
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The first Lahaina residents return to the wildfire burn zone on supervised visits to devastated properties.

After summer's extreme weather, more Americans see climate change as a culprit, AP-NORC poll shows

Sep. 25, 2023 08:09 AM EDT

Kathleen Maxwell has lived in Phoenix for more than 20 years, but this summer was the first time she felt fear, as daily high temperatures soared to 110 degrees or hotter and kept it up for a record-shattering 31 consecutive days. “It's always been really hot here, but nothing like...

The threat of wildfires is rising. So are new artificial intelligence solutions to fight them

Sep. 24, 2023 07:58 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — Wildfires fueled by climate change have ravaged communities from Maui to the Mediterranean this summer, killing many people, exhausting firefighters and fueling demand for new solutions. Enter artificial intelligence. Firefighters and startups are using AI-enabled...

Salt water wedge in the Mississippi River threatens drinking water in Louisiana

Sep. 22, 2023 20:06 PM EDT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Salt water from the Gulf of Mexico is creeping up the drought-stricken Mississippi River and threatening drinking water supplies in some Louisiana communities, including New Orleans, prompting the state's governor to warn Friday he may request federal help. ...

The US East Coast is under a tropical storm warning with landfall forecast in North Carolina

Sep. 22, 2023 10:01 AM EDT

MIAMI (AP) — A storm moving closer to the U.S. East Coast will deliver tropical storm conditions to North Carolina on Friday before making landfall on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm was off the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina with top sustained...

Kapalua to host PGA Tour opener in January, 5 months after deadly wildfires on Maui

Sep. 21, 2023 17:15 PM EDT

The PGA Tour is returning to Maui to start the new season with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, five months after deadly wildfires destroyed nearby Lahaina and claimed at least 97 lives. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had said last month he hoped the tournament could...

Biden uses executive power to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps

Sep. 20, 2023 17:34 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — After being thwarted by Congress, President Joe Biden will use his executive authority to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps that will serve as a major green jobs training program. In an announcement Wednesday, the White House said the program will...

Homeowners face rising insurance rates as climate change makes wildfires, storms more common

Sep. 20, 2023 12:20 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report says. A report from First Street Foundation...

Climate change made storm that devastated Libya far more likely and intense, scientists say

Sep. 19, 2023 12:38 PM EDT

The devastating storm that dumped torrential rains along the Libyan coast this month was up to 50 times more likely to occur and 50% more intense because of human-caused climate change, according to an analysis released Tuesday. Before crossing the Mediterranean, the storm raged for...