Natural Disasters Archives

Viewfinder: Cyclone Idai’s Devastating Damage in Zimbabwe

Timber company workers stand stranded on a damaged road on March 18th, 2019, at Charter Estate, in Chimanimani, eastern Zimbabwe, after Cyclone Idai ripped across Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.

Pacific Standard Staff

A tornado in Cordell, Oklahoma, on May 22nd, 1981.

Environment

Is Climate Change Creating More Tornadoes?

Researchers have found that the most tornado-prone region of the country is shifting east, but they can't say how much global warming is to blame.

Kate Wheeling

A car damaged by debris from a building is seen in Havana, Cuba, after a rare and powerful tornado struck the city on Monday, January 28th, 2019, killing three people and leaving 172 injured, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said early Monday.

Viewfinder: Damage From a Powerful Tornado in Havana

A car damaged by debris from a building is seen in Havana, Cuba, on January 28th, 2019, after a rare and powerful tornado struck the city.

Pacific Standard Staff

A car gets towed while men walk through a flooded street in Houston, Texas, on August 30th, 2017.

Economics

A Newly Proposed EPA Deregulation Would Quash Any Hope of Protecting What’s Left of America’s Wetlands

An EPA rollback of Obama-era water protections could be particularly harmful to places like Harris County, which is still recovering from Hurricane Harvey.

Sophie Kasakove

A view of Messina on December 28th, 1908, shortly after the terrible earthquake that destroyed two-thirds of the town. There were 126,000 victims, more than 66,000 from the town itself.

Viewfinder: Looking Back at the Remains of Messina, the Italian City Destroyed by an Earthquake 120 Years Ago

A view of Messina on December 28th, 1908, shortly after the terrible earthquake that destroyed two-thirds of the Italian town. There were 126,000 victims, more than 66,000 from the town itself.

Pacific Standard Staff

The Woolsey fire approaches homes on November 9th, 2018, in Malibu, California.

Hot, Dry Weather Disrupts Countries Across the Globe (in Photos)

Record-high temperatures continue to exacerbate fire, drought, and other negative weather patterns around the world.

Emma Sarappo

The Woolsey Fire spreads through Porter Ranch, California, on November 9th, 2018.

Environment

What Are the Santa Ana Winds, and Why Are They Such a Wildfire Hazard?

The hot, dry winds turn drought-ridden areas of Southern California into a tinderbox in the fall.

Rebecca Worby

Firefighters light backfires as they try to contain the Thomas wildfire in Ojai, California, on December 9th, 2017.

Climate Change Continues to Intensify Fires in California

The Woolsey and Camp Fires mark a continuation of unprecedented burning in California.

Jack Herrera

A cloud of ash and smoke is spewed from Popocatépetl.

Environment

What Will Mexico Do When Its Deadliest Volcano Erupts?

Popocatépetl, Mexico's largest active volcano, sits next to some major population hubs. With a major eruption forecasted within the next 100 years, will the public be ready?

Mark Oprea