Disasters

"Nuclear Rules in Japan Relied on Old Science"

"In the country that gave the world the word tsunami, the Japanese nuclear establishment largely disregarded the potentially destructive force of the walls of water. The word did not even appear in government guidelines until 2006, decades after plants — including the Fukushima Daiichi facility that firefighters are still struggling to get under control — began dotting the Japanese coastline."

Source: NY Times, 03/28/2011

Trump Admin Plans to Break Up Premier Weather and Climate Research Center

"The Trump administration said it will be dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, one of the world’s leading Earth science research institutions."

Source: NYTimes, 12/18/2025

"‘No Water, No Life’: Iraq’s Tigris River In Danger Of Disappearing"

"Iraq’s famed Tigris is heavily polluted and at risk of drying up. Unless urgent action is taken to save the river, life will be fundamentally altered for the ancient communities who live on its banks."

Source: Guardian, 12/17/2025

"Disaster Survivors Denounce Proposed FEMA Downsizing"

"Flood, storm and fire survivors gathered in Washington, D.C., Monday to express their alarm over a leaked report from the FEMA Review Council that proposes halving the agency’s workforce and scaling back federal disaster assistance."

Source: Inside Climate News, 12/17/2025

As Wildfires Mount, So Do Efforts To Use Less Plastic in Homebuilding

"As wildfires driven by climate change are spurring efforts to build homes with fire-safe materials, the dangers of the use of plastic in construction needs more recognition, experts say." "Plastic used in building construction burns hotter than traditional materials and produces toxic smoke and runoff."

Source: Thomson Reuters Fdn., 12/16/2025

As Realty Risk Data Is Pulled From Web, Alternatives Are Ready

As one data source disappears, another often emerges, finds Reporter’s Toolbox, as it searches for ways to report on real estate risk. In our latest column, insight into where to find information on home hazards, especially from climate change, plus smart ways to use the data for your reporting and some emerging gaps to be aware of.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Visibility: 

A Town Derailed, a Trust Obtained

The devastating 2023 East Palestine, Ohio, toxic train derailment left a legacy of illness and a town torn by competing understandings of the contamination’s aftereffects. A yearlong reporting initiative with photojournalist Rebecca Kiger and Time magazine writer Alejandro de la Garza worked to gain the community’s confidence and tell its story. Their prize-winning feature, in the latest Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Visibility: 

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Disasters