TheRepublic.com - Natural disasters News

Hurricane center: Beware of the storm surge

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:36:13 -0400

MIAMI - During a hurricane, storm surge is one of the greatest threats to life and land, yet many people don't understand the dire warnings from forecasters to get out of its way. So this season, they hope to offer easy-to-understand, color-coded maps and change the way they talk to the public.

With symbolic ribbon cutting, NJ shore is open

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:25:04 -0400

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, New Jersey - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has cut a ribbon to symbolically reopen the state's shore for the summer season, seven months after being devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

Insured Texas tornadoes damage could reach $250M

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:14:07 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - An industry group says insured damage from last week's deadly tornadoes in North Texas could reach $250 million.

Business recovery center to open in Okla.

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:50:24 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - Owners of businesses damaged or destroyed by a tornado at Moore can seek government assistance to help them stay afloat.

Safe room mandates remain rare in tornado states

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:31:32 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - After living nearly 20 years in their one-story brick home, Sherry and Larry Wells finally won the lottery - for a state rebate on a home storm shelter, that is. A contractor finished installing the concrete bunker beneath the slab of their garage in early May. About three weeks later, the shelter saved their lives when a tornado that killed 24 people tore through their neighborhood.

DOTD installs enhanced equipment at sinkhole

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:46:04 -0400

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - State officials have installed enhanced monitoring equipment along Louisiana 70, near the Assumption Parish sinkhole.

5.7-magnitude quake widely felt across N. Calif.

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:52:12 -0400

GREENVILLE, California - An earthquake in far northeastern California was felt by thousands of people as far away as San Francisco and in two other states, but there have been no reports of injury or serious damage.

AG warns of charity scams after Okla. tornado

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:07:17 -0400

CHICAGO - Attorney General Lisa Madigan says people should use caution when donating money to help victims of the Oklahoma tornado.

Legion giving $1M to Okla. tornado victim veterans

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:59:04 -0400

INDIANAPOLIS - The American Legion says it's allocating $1 million to veterans affected by the Oklahoma tornado.

Hurricane-prep sales tax break starts Saturday

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:17:03 -0400

RICHMOND, Virginia - Virginians who want to stock up on batteries, bottled water and other supplies for the hurricane season will get a tax break starting Saturday.

Earthquake hits Russia's Far East

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:14:22 -0400

MOSCOW - A powerful earthquake on Friday hit Russia's Far East with tremors felt as far away as Moscow, about 7,000 kilometers (4,400 miles) west of the epicenter.

Ocean City pier, destroyed by Sandy, to reopen

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:06:58 -0400

OCEAN CITY, Maryland - Ocean City officials are set to reopen the landmark fishing pier that was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

1,500-acre blaze burns in San Diego County

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:35:06 -0400

JULIAN, California - Firefighters are battling a 1,500-acre fire in rugged and remote eastern San Diego County.

NY, NJ transit agencies to receive $3.7B in aid

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:50:44 -0400

NEW YORK - Four major transit agencies in New York and New Jersey will receive $3.7 billion in federal aid to repair damage from Superstorm Sandy. The money also will help protect the region's trains, buses and subways from future storms.

Delaware beaches court visitors after Sandy

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:35:07 -0400

REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware - Beach resorts in Delaware are looking for a rebound after the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy and as the economy improves.

Fossil area closed after 2 boys die in Minn. park

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:28:17 -0400

MINNEAPOLIS - St. Paul authorities shut down a popular fossil-hunting area in a riverside park Thursday, one day after two children were killed and two others injured by a landslide.

Distraught mom becomes face of Oklahoma storm

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:07:16 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - A massive tornado was carving its way through town. There was no time to hesitate. LaTisha Garcia had to get to her children.

Wildfire bills get Colorado governor's signature

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:06:10 -0400

CORTEZ, Colorado - Wildfire prevention measures passed after Colorado's tragic wildfire season last year have been signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper.

MWR cars, others bring awareness to storm victims

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:05:47 -0400

CONCORD, North Carolina - Owner Michael Waltrip and others in the NASCAR garage hope to bring attention to the needs of those affected by the Oklahoma tornadoes at the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend.

Transient accused of starting small Flagstaff fire

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:52:30 -0400

FLAGSTAFF, Arizona - A transient has been arrested for allegedly starting a small wildfire in Flagstaff.

Correction: Oklahoma Tornado story

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:24:29 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - In some early versions of a story May 22 about damage estimates from the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, The Associated Press misspelled the name of the city's mayor. He is Glenn Lewis, not Glen.

Kennecott lays off employees after landslide

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:23:34 -0400

SALT LAKE CITY - A Utah mining company has started laying off some of its 2,100 workers after a landslide filled the bottom of a large open copper mining pit west of Salt Lake City.

Okla. tornado home damage estimated from photos

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:22:16 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - Officials in Oklahoma City say an estimate of the number of homes damaged or destroyed by this week's tornado is based in part on an analysis of before-and-after aerial photos.

Okla. Legislature honors Moore schools educators

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:20:37 -0400

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Legislature on Thursday honored two educators from a school district where a massive tornado destroyed one elementary school and heavily damaged another.

Part of Minn. park where slide killed 2 closed

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:19:24 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman says an area of a park where two children were killed in a gravel slide is now indefinitely closed.