Disasters

"Early on a Saturday morning, deep inside a chemical plant in La Porte, Javier Ortiz took his last sip of coffee."

"Florida was getting set for a soaking as a tropical depression brewing off its southern coast looked likely to strengthen into tropical storm later Monday or early Tuesday."

"The death toll from a devastating earthquake in central Italy reached at least 241 people on Thursday and could rise further after rescue teams worked through the night to try to find survivors under the rubble of flattened towns."

"Federal regulators believe “there is a significant possibility” that recent earthquakes in North Texas are linked to oil and gas activity, even if state regulators won’t say so."

"Growing wildfires stoked by windy, dry conditions have destroyed buildings and forced evacuations in California, Washington, Montana and elsewhere."

"At least 38 people died in a powerful earthquake that hit central Italy early on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the civil protection department said."

"President Barack Obama on Tuesday pledged his commitment to a full recovery from floods that struck south Louisiana this month, leaving 13 people dead and thousands more displaced."

"Tropical Storm Gaston, the seventh tropical storm of the season, is strengthening and is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday."

"The Green Party presidential candidate has described the flooding in the US state of Louisiana as 'a crisis of climate change'."

"President Barack Obama is making his first visit to flood-ravaged southern Louisiana as he attempts to assure the many thousands who have suffered damage to their homes, schools and businesses that his administration has made their recovery a priority."