Tag: Natural hazards
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New global warming claims over deadly typhoon
Is climate change to blame for the Philippines typhoon? Scientists are cautious but David Cameron and some United Nations leaders are now arguing that there is a link.
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Baby brings joy amid Philippines ‘bedlam’
In the Philippines, a nation famous for its optimism, aid workers are struggling to cope with the aftermath of the strongest ever storm to reach land. How should the rest of the world react?
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Philippines devastated by ‘worst ever storm’
A monstrous typhoon has blasted the Philippines, leaving thousands dead and many more without water or electricity. Are poor countries more vulnerable to environmental catastrophe?
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‘Monster’ twister claims 20 children’s lives
Response teams are desperately searching the rubble of an Oklahoma suburb devastated by a tornado of awesome power. But is our fascination with these terrifying storms ghoulish?
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Europe frostbitten by wintriest March in decades
Saturday was World Weather Day, and the bitter cold was on everyone’s lips. But do seasons still matter in a society where few rely on weather conditions for their livelihoods?
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Hue and cry after London fox drags baby from cot
London Mayor Boris Johnson has called for the urban fox to be treated as ‘a pest and a menace’ after a five-week-old baby was attacked. Should wildlife be welcome on our city streets?
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A thousand homes underwater as UK battles floods
After the wettest summer on record, UK rivers are engulfing the villages that huddle around them. How can we adapt our homes and settlements to the ever-rising waters?
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Venice under water as floods surge through city
Rising sea levels have left Venice submerged. Works of art, unique buildings and tourist attractions are under threat – can and should the city’s heritage be saved?
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Deadly ash disease strikes British trees
It had already killed 90% of Denmark’s ash trees; now, a virulent fungal infection is taking hold in the woodlands of the UK. Could this spell the end of one of Britain’s best-loved species?
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America battered by monstrous ‘Frankenstorm’
Over one hundred dead, hundreds of thousands homeless and millions without electricity: Hurricane Sandy has wreaked destruction across America and the Caribbean. Is this a sign of things to...
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Scientists jailed for earthquake deaths
In March 2009, scientists said an earthquake in an Italian town was unlikely. Days later, 309 were killed in a devastating tremor – and now the experts have been blamed for the tragedy.
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Veteran explorer to tackle world’s coldest journey
After surviving cancer, surgery and a heart attack, 68-year-old Ranulph Fiennes plans to trek across Antarctica in the dead of winter. Is his adventure madness, or bravery?
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Drought hits UK as officials ‘prepare for worst’
Months before summer, much of Britain is already officially in drought. If rains don’t come soon, it could be the worst such crisis in 35 years. Can the famously damp UK really be drying out?
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Time running out for 99 ‘suicide’ whales
Scores of pilot whales are fighting for life after beaching themselves off the New Zealand coastline this week. What do these ‘kamikaze’ pilots tell us about nature?
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Tragic polar expedition remembered 100 years on
Robert Falcon Scott raced through icy blizzards to reach the South Pole – only to discover he had been beaten to it. Three months later, he was dead. But why does his legend live on?