Disasters

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August 2008
- 10 Climbers Dead, 3 Missing After K2 Avalanche
  
  Reuters | Aug 4, 08 3:52 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - At least 10 climbers were killed and three were missing after an avalanche on the world’s second-highest mountain in the Himalayas this weekend, Reuters reports. Teams of climbers reached K2’s peak, but at least two died on the way. An avalanche later killed five more and knocked out the ropes meant to guide their return, stranding another dozen in freezing conditions with little oxygen. More »
- US Seeks to Weaken Hurricanes
  
  Daily Telegraph (UK) | Aug 2, 08 1:42 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The Department of Homeland Security is hoping that weather-altering techniques can lessen the devastation caused by hurricanes, the Daily Telegraph reports. A hurricane reduction program likely to begin in October will devote $64 million to efforts such as spreading tiny salt particles in the storms to drain them of much of their rain before they hit land. More »
- Please, Media, That Was No Quake
  
  Los Angeles Times | Aug 1, 08 7:23 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The brouhaha over the California earthquake this week was generated as much by media as trembling ground, Joel Stein writes in the Los Angeles Times . The quake did damage Stein's workday, however, because he had to field so many calls from worried, out-of-state loved ones who saw the overhyped coverage on CNN. "Here's a good rule for my family," he writes: "If the news channel is telling you about a disaster, but it is broadcasting footage of a bright, sunny day, then I'm fine." More »
July 2008
- US Military Showing Softer Side
  
  Boston Globe | Jul 28, 08 2:08 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Despite recent focus on shooting wars, the Defense Department has tweaked the core mission of US armed forces to promote “soft power,” such as humanitarian aid, the Boston Globe reports. Some civilian onlookers say the foreign policy is “out of whack,” and “too dominated by the military.” One Pacific commander says his job, “more often than not,” is to provide aid. More »
- Forest Fire Rages by Yosemite
  
  Sacramento Bee | Jul 28, 08 4:42 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Hundreds of people have been evacuated and 12 homes destroyed as a forest fire rages out of control near Yosemite National Park, the Sacramento Bee reports. The fire, which began Friday, has burned 26,000 acres of forest, including the Mariposa County foothills that serve as the gateway to the famous park. Thousands of firefighters are battling the blaze, apparently ignited by a stray bullet in target practice. More »
- Global Warming Didn't Cause New England Tornadoes
  
  Boston Herald | Jul 25, 08 2:58 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Two tornadoes have ripped through New England in the last few days, killing a New Hampshire woman and doing serious property damage. But don’t blame global warming for the uncharacteristically violent climate: local climatologists tell the Boston Herald equally extreme weather struck the region in the ‘30s and ‘60s, resulting from “blocks” of bad weather patterns that last up to 3 months. More »
- Deadly Mine Collapse Draws Record Fine
  
  CNN | Jul 25, 08 6:21 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The federal government has socked a Utah mine operator and its consultant with the highest fine ever—$1.85 million—for safety violations in a mine collapse that killed six men last year. Investigators said weak pillar support and work in dangerous areas of the Crandell Canyon mine led to the disaster. The mine operator was charged $1.34 million “for violations that directly contributed to the deaths,” as well as $300,000 in other penalties. More »
- Dolly Strengthens to Category 2
  
  Associated Press | Jul 23, 08 10:37 AM CDT
  
  (AP) - Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami say Hurricane Dolly has strengthened to a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph. The storm center is about 30 miles east-northeast of Brownsville, Texas. More »
- Mother Nature's Wrath Creates Prosperity
  
  Boston Globe | Jul 8, 08 7:25 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Casualties aside, natural disasters may not be so devastating after all. Catastrophes like the recent earthquake in China destroy old buildings and roads, making way for new and improved infrastructure that may not have been created otherwise and pumping cash into the economy. In the long term, updated technology and efficiencies have the potential to create a more productive economy, reports the Boston Globe . More »