The Michigan Dam Failures Are a Warning
Two dams down, a few thousand more to go. Luckily, no one died last week when rain-swollen flooding breached two dams in Central Michigan. But...
Tag : Disasters and Emergencies
They Evoke Darth Vader, but These Masks May Save Your Doctor’s Life
Even among the surreal sights of an intensive care unit crowded with Covid-19 patients, Dr. Elaine Fajardo’s mask stands out. Jet-black silicone with magenta-capped filters...
What a Week’s Disasters Tell Us About Climate and the Pandemic
It all served as a reminder that the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 325,000 people so far, is colliding with another global menace: a fast-heating...
Virus Crisis Exposes Cascading Weaknesses in U.S. Disaster Response
WASHINGTON — For decades, the backbone of the nation’s disaster response system — and a hallmark of American generosity — has been its army of...
Genie Chance and the Great Alaska Earthquake
There are moments when the world we take for granted changes instantaneously — when reality is upended and replaced with the unimaginable. Though we try...
Scientists Predict Above-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season Amid Virus Crisis
The coming Atlantic hurricane season is “expected to be a busy one,” with the likelihood of as many as 19 named storms, including as many...
Is the Pandemic Sparking Suicide?
The mental health toll of the coronavirus pandemic is only beginning to show itself, and it is too early to predict the scale of the...
‘It Could Happen Anytime’: Scientists Warn of Alaska Tsunami Threat
Climate change has increased the risk of a huge landslide in an Alaskan fjord that could cause a catastrophic tsunami, scientists said Thursday. Warming temperatures...
Why Politicians Aren’t Ready for Disasters Like the Coronavirus
It is clear that our government has failed to fight Covid-19 effectively. As one health expert said when asked what went wrong, “What went right?”...
Why New Orleans Pushed Ahead With Mardi Gras, Even as It Planned for Coronavirus
ATLANTA — Twelve days before New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras Day, the citywide pre-Lenten bash that would pack thousands of visitors onto the streets, Sarah...