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FLOODSNew Tool Could Help Florida Homeowners Weather Flood Risks, Lower Insurance Costs
With flood risks increasing from extreme weather events like hurricanes and even routine plumbing issues, researchers are helping Florida homeowners make smarter choices about building materials and interior finishes that better protect their homes and potentially save on their insurance premiums.
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FLOODSResearchers Offer Hard-Hit Communities Solutions for Flood Recovery and Resilience
Long before flash floods damaged communities in Ohio and Marion counties this month, West Virginia University researchers were studying community resilience in flood-devastated areas of the state. The toolkit they developed will help communities better prepare for such emergencies and recover quicker.
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RESILIENCEImproving Resilience to Tsunamis and Earthquakes via Predictions of Waste Disposal Times
Researchers develop framework to predict cleanup times after seismic events by analyzing the interdependence of disposal facilities and road networks.
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POWER-GRID RESILIENCE Hardening the Grid: Research Team Focuses on Quake Proofing Transformer Bushings
During an earthquake, the place where a large, high-voltage power transformer is most vulnerable is its bushings – hollow electrical insulators that safely guide current between a transformer’s internal windings and external power lines.
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WATER SECURITYOvershadowed by Border Dispute, India-Pakistan Water Security Risks Grow
Glacial meltwater accounts for a significant portion of annual flows in the Indus River Basin, but as glaciers retreat due to climate change, this flow is decreasing, leading to water scarcity. Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to reduction in Indus River Basin flows: it relies on the Indus River for more than 90 percent of its water, and is already grappling with severe water shortages.
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RESILIENCE10-story Steel-Framed Building to be Put to the Test on UC San Diego Earthquake Simulator
A10-story cold-formed steel-framed building will soon be put to the test on an earthquake simulator at the University of California San Diego to see how well it can withstand earthquakes.
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DISASTERSUncertainty About Federal Disaster Aid Looms as Storms Roll In
Multiple states bordering the Mississippi River are still waiting for federal disaster aid decisions.
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DISASTERSAs Hurricane Season Approaches, Trump’s NOAA Budget Cuts Threaten Safety
President Trump’s NOAA cuts will significantly hamper the public’s understanding of the environment and weather forecasting, negatively affecting people in the United States and abroad.
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DISASTERSFlood Risk is Increasing in Pacific Northwest
The next great earthquake isn’t the only threat to the Pacific Northwest. A powerful earthquake, combined with rising sea levels, could significantly increase flood risks in the Pacific Northwest, impacting thousands of residents and properties in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.
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WILDEFIRESNIST Updates Critical Wildfire Evacuation and Sheltering Guidance
Wildfires move fast. They can reduce communities to ash in a matter of hours. To save as many lives as possible, officials must have an evacuation and shelter plan in place before an actual wildfire threatens their community.
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CLIMATE CHALLENGESAs Temperatures Rise, the U.S. Corn Belt Could See Insurance Claims Soar
Crop insurance is a lifeline for farmers. But research shows it’s not ready for climate change, as global warming worsens, bringing more uncertainty to the agricultural sector.
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CLIMATE CHALLENGESThe Government Just Killed an Essential Way to Assess Climate Risk
Cities, insurers, and the public used the Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database to plan for the future. Now what will they do?
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CLIMATE CHALLENGESAs U.S. Doubles Down on Fossil Fuels, Communities Will Have to Adapt to the Consequences − Yet Climate Adaptation Funding Is on the Chopping Block
It’s no secret that warming temperatures, wildfires and flash floods are increasingly affecting lives across the United States. With the U.S. government now planning to ramp up fossil fuel use, the risks of these events are likely to become even more pronounced. Yet, the White House is proposing to eliminate funding for climate adaptation science in the next federal budget: With climate extremes likely to increase in the coming years, losing adaptation science will leave the United States even more vulnerable to future climate hazards.
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INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTIONMajor U.S. Cities Are Sinking
An analysis of 28 major U.S. cities revealed that all 28 are sinking, potentially affecting 34 million people, according to Virginia Tech research published in Nature Cities.
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LIGHTNING STRIKESAI Model Predicts Lightning Wildfires with 90% Accuracy
Israeli researchers use seven years of weather and satellite data to predict future wildfires caused by lightning strikes.
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The long view
CLIMATE CHALLENGESTrump Aims to Shut Down State Climate Policies
President Donald Trump has launched an all-out legal attack on states’ authority to set climate change policy. Climate-focused state leaders say his administration has no legal basis to unravel their efforts.