Natural Disasters News

Dozens of homes were evacuated near Denver as a wind-driven wildfire flared, one of many in the western states where hot and windy conditions were making it easy for the wild land blazes to start and spread.

A tropical depression has formed off the coast of Belize and forecasters say it is expected to bring as much as five inches of rain to parts of Belize, Guatemala and northern Honduras.

The World Food Prize Foundation on Wednesday took the bold step of awarding this year's prize to three pioneers of plant biotechnology whose work brought the world genetically modified crops.

Supporters of a far-reaching immigration bill in the Senate see fresh momentum from a report by the Congressional Budget Office that the measure would boost the economy and reduce federal deficits by billions of... After secretive talks, key senators expressed optimism Wednesday night that they were closing in on a bipartisan agreement to toughen ... (more)

"World War Z" - Might there be a real zombie apocalypse one day? The way zombies have invaded our pop culture the last several years, it's maybe a bit less implausible than it once was.

Supporters of a far-reaching immigration bill in the Senate see fresh momentum from a report by the Congressional Budget Office that the measure would boost the economy and reduce federal deficits by billions of... After secretive talks, key senators express optimism they are closing in on a bipartisan agreement to toughen the border security ... (more)

Bob and Barbara Schmidt dashed to their home on a dirt road in a heavily wooded area northeast of Colorado Springs as smoke from what would become the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history filled the air.

FBI agents plan a third day of digging Wednesday in suburban Detroit for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who disappeared 38 years ago.

A flash flood unleashed by a major thunderstorm has inundated the Austrian village of Hallstatt, which has been awarded special status by the U.N. because of its unique beauty.

Forecasters say a tropical depression crossing Mexico's Bay of Campeche is expected to become a tropical storm before making landfall in that country's Gulf Coast state of Veracruz.

Japan's nuclear watchdog formally approved a set of new safety requirements for atomic power plants Wednesday, paving the way for the reopening of facilities shut down since the Fukushima disaster.

A Boeing 787 flying from Denver to Tokyo diverted to Seattle because of an oil filter issue, a United Airlines spokeswoman said.

A heat wave hitting Alaska may not rival the blazing heat of Phoenix or Las Vegas, but to residents of the 49th state, the days of hot weather feel like a stifling oven - or a tropical paradise.

FBI agents plan a third day of digging Wednesday in suburban Detroit for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who disappeared 38 years ago.

The number of homes destroyed by a Colorado wildfire rose above 500 on Tuesday as rain dampened the flames and allowed damage assessment teams to enter charred neighborhoods, and other threatening blazes grew in Alaska and elsewhere in the West.

Radar indicated a tornado briefly touched down Tuesday over the east runways of Denver International Airport, where thousands of people took shelter in bathrooms, stairwells and other safe spots until the dangerous weather passed, officials said.

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook buildings in Peru's capital on Tuesday, Peru's geological survey and Reuters witnesses said.

Come rain, wind or sunshine, weather has long been one of Britain's main topics of conversation.

A wind-whipped wildfire near the main route into Yosemite National Park in the Sierra foothills forced the evacuation of at least 150 houses Monday and was threatening more, state fire officials said.

From Superstorm Sandy and last year's drought to tornadoes, wildfires and a hurricane, the weather and climate disasters of 2012 caused more than $110 billion in damages, making it one of the costliest years on record for weather events, national climate data show.