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Natural Disasters

Find out everything there is to know about natural disasters and stay updated on the latest weather news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and natural disaster pictures at LiveScience. Learn more about devastation caused by weather as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about natural disasters.

Related Topics: Volcanoes, Hurricanes, Heat Wave, Earthquakes

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A major earthquake hit Alaska, about 163 miles (262 kilometers) southeast of Chiniak and 360 miles (578 km) south of Anchorage, on Jan. 23, 2018.

Major Earthquake Strikes Off Alaska

By Megan Gannon

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Kodiak, Alaska, this morning. A tsunami warning is in effect for parts of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada.

Michigan meteor

Fireball Over Michigan: Did Meteor Really Cause an Earthquake?

By Laura Geggel

Delaware Earthquake

A Magnitude-4.1 Earthquake Just Hit Delaware

By Laura Geggel

A magnitude-4.4 earthquake just hit Delaware Bay, Delaware, surprising people in The First State, a place typically unaccustomed to tremblers.

Oregon Beach Ocean Shore

Where in the Pacific Northwest Will the Next Monstrous Earthquake Strike?

By Dan Robitzski

Seattle earthquake simulation

What If a 9.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hit Seattle?

By Laura Geggel

A 7.1-magnitue earthquake struck near Mexico City on Sept. 19, 2017.

More than 200 Dead After 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Central Mexico

By Jeanna Bryner

Irma

No, We Can't Control Hurricanes from Space

By Jesse Emspak

As Hurricane Irma winds down, some have asked why we can't control hurricanes.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES East satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Irma at 10:37 a.m. EDT on Saturday (Sept. 9) when it was a Category 4 storm.

Hurricane Irma by the Numbers

By Sarah B. Puschmann

Take a look at some key numbers related to Hurricane Irma.

hurricane harvey aftermath

Hurricane Harvey Caused 500,000-Year Floods in Some Areas

By Tia Ghose

Hurricane Harvey, over the course of five days, dumped an unprecedented level of rainfall expected based on probabilities.

Here, hurricanes Katia, Irma and Jose swirl in the Atlantic on Sept. 8, 2017. The raging trio was captured by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite. The day-night band allowed the instrument to show both the city

Are Catastrophic Disasters Striking More Often?

By Jay L. Zagorsky

Saturated media coverage of hurricanes like Harvey and Irma can make it seem like disasters happen all the time. Is the frequency of billion-dollar disasters really rising?

Storm winds from Irma bowed trees along North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, as Hurricane Irma struck Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sept. 10.

Irma Batters Florida, Could Retain Hurricane Strength Through Monday

By Mindy Weisberger

Experts predict that Irma will remain a hurricane though Monday morning (Sept. 11), and perhaps longer.

Water flowing out of the Miami River floods a walkway as Hurricane Irma passes through on Sept. 10, 2017, in Miami, Florida.

Hurricane Irma Makes Landfall in Keys; Deadly Surge in Store for SW Florida

By Andrea Thompson

Hurricane Hermine 2016

Hurricanes Normally Peak Today

By Tia Ghose

Today, September 10, the is the likeliest day to have a hurricane, according to weather prediction models.

NOAA GOES-13 satellite's view of Hurricane Irma at 8:45pm EDT on Sept. 9, 2017.

Hurricanes Irma, Jose & Tropical Storm Katia: See the Latest Videos from Space

By Steve Spaleta

nasa suomi irma noaa

See Hurricane Irma in Motion in These NASA and NOAA GIFs

By Doris Elin Salazar

Space and weather agencies are sending data to the National Hurricane Center to issue warnings and forecasts about Irma's potential for destruction in the Caribbean Sea.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES East satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Irma at 10:37 a.m. EDT on Saturday (Sept. 9) when it was a Category 4 storm.

Hurricane Irma Could Re-Strengthen Before Slamming into Florida

By Andrea Thompson

Irma could make a run for Category 4 strength before landfall.

Here, a map showing potential storm surge due to Hurricane Irma, with the coastline from Naples to Fort Myers expect to get hit the hardest by surge. Red indicates the highest surge of 9 feet and greater.

Hurricane Irma: Biggest Storm Surge Threat Along Florida's Southwest Coast

By Andrea Thompson

Traffic on Interstate 75 was noticeably heavier in the northbound lanes as people in Florida evacuated the area ahead of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 08, 2017, in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Hurricane Irma: How Do You Safely Evacuate 5.6 Million People?

By Tia Ghose

Here, Hurricane Irma makes landfall on Cuba as a Category 5 storm on Sept. 8.

Hurricane Irma Barrels Toward Florida; Nowhere in FL Keys Safe

By Jeanna Bryner

Hurricane Irma Remains Dangerous After Dropping to Category 4

By Mindy Weisberger

Friday morning saw Irma downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane. But don't relax just yet — it's still a powerful and potentially deadly beast of a storm.