Pictures: Baby Goats, More Animal Survivors Rescued in NepalMay 05, 2015 – An animal-rescue team is scouring villages near Kathmandu to help the four-legged survivors of the devastating earthquake, many of which are important to their families as sources of income or pets.
Energy-Poor Nepal Looks to Solar for Post-Quake PowerMay 01, 2015 – Nonprofit groups are raising money to provide emergency food aid, build latrines, and install free solar panels atop health clinics.
Tragedy on Everest Remembered in PicturesApril 29, 2016 – A year ago photographer Roberto Schmidt stared at a wall of snow, took three photos, dove into a tent, and nearly died. On assignment for Agence France-Presse, Schmidt was at Base Camp on Mount Everest on April 25, 2015, the day that a disastrous earthquake and ensuing avalanche struck. After being partially buried in snow, […]
Plan Your Next Himalayan Expedition MindfullyJune 15, 2015 – So what now? Two devastating years on the busiest mountain in the Himalaya leaves many questions. The earthquakes in Nepal this season have had a devastating affect on the local people, particularly those in the mountainous regions of the country. The economic and emotional damage will be present for the foreseeable future and the loss…
Life Happened Here: Tsunami Survivors Revisit Ruined SitesFebruary 10, 2016 – Five years ago a massive earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Japan. The tsunami it unleashed destroyed large swaths of the island nation, killing nearly 16,000 people, causing $200 billion in damages, and roiling the lives of those who survived. One of the hardest hit places was Otsuchi, a small fishing community on the […]
Photographing the “Living Goddesses” of NepalMay 22, 2015 – “It’s hard to start this story without acknowledging the two recent devastating earthquakes that have taken so many lives in Nepal,” deputy photography director Ken Geiger tells me as we sit down to talk about the Newar people of Kathmandu Valley, who have a fascinating cultural tradition—worshipping little girls whom they believe are the earthly […]
Kate’s ChristchurchMay 08, 2013 – When travel blogger Kate Voyage isn’t scouring the globe for adventure, this Kiwi turns her attention to the home front. “Christchurch has all the big city conveniences,” she says, “but with fewer traffic jams.” After suffering devastating earthquakes over the past few years, Christchurch is finally on the rebound and it’s easy to see why. Here are a few of Kate’s favorite things about her home town.
Baseball Spoiled by Nature: Top 10 MomentsMarch 30, 2013 – Since baseball began, it has had a rivalry with Mother Nature. Earthquakes, heavy rain, insects ... As a new season begins, we revisit ten times when nature won.
Achieving the Right “Calorie Balance” in Cities: Health, Community, and EnergyNovember 12, 2014 – Japan is now facing three major issues: the aging population, the decline of region’s economy, and the energy stability after the Tohoku earthquake. I worked on tackling these issues as part of a “smart city” project in Kashiwanoha, 15 miles (25 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo. (See related comments made by Mr. Nagata and others at…
Jellyfish Invasion Shuts Down Nuclear ReactorOctober 01, 2013 – Of all the potential mishaps that can cause a nuclear plant shutdown, from an earthquake to operator error, the one that you might least expect is a swarm of jellyfish gumming up the works. (See related quiz: “What Do You Know About Nuclear Power?“) But apparently, that’s exactly what happened in Oskarshamn, Sweden, on Sunday,…
Out of the Ashes: ValparaísoAugust 20, 2014 – Though just 70 miles south of Chile’s capital, Santiago, Valparaíso is a destination in its own right. The port city’s economy may not be what it was, but the vibrant culture you’ll find there remains, despite a flagging maritime trade and earthquakes that have shaken it to its core. As the city and its people rebuild and heal after a catastrophic fire claimed homes and lives, there has never been a better time to visit. Here’s why.
In Japan, Solar Panels Aid in Tsunami RebuildingAugust 14, 2013 – Kenichi Hazawa, a resident of Ofunato in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture, moved into his new home this summer—a milestone in and of itself. The rebuilding job has been monumental in this coastal city, where almost one-quarter of the 15,000 homes were destroyed by the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami, and nearly 8,000 people were forced…
Landslides in the United States Since 2007April 23, 2014 – The March 2014 landslide in Oso, Washington, a month ago today, called attention to the lack of a national system to monitor landslide data. The U.S. government prepares hazard maps for other types of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, but not for landslides. Even though they cause up to 2 billion dollars a year in damages nationwide, most data is collected at state level. NASA’s Global Landslide Catalog (GLC), which collects data from media reports and disaster databases, is the first attempt to survey rainfall-triggered landslides.
Matt’s Newcastle (Australia)March 06, 2013 – Matt Endacott was born in Newcastle, Australia exactly one year after a massive trembler triggered the city’s decline. After nearly two decades of post-earthquake stagnation, the city is now bristling with possibility. Here are a few of his favorite things about his hometown.
The Place: Christchurch, New ZealandFebruary 18, 2013 – Two years ago, a series of massive earthquakes shook Christchurch, New Zealand, to its spine, folding its central business district into a cordoned-off red zone. But even as the historic gateway to the South Island readies for a years-long rebuild, a spirit of innovation is rising out of the rubble to shake things up for good.
North Anna Nuclear Plant Still Awaits RestartOctober 04, 2011 – The North Anna nuclear facility that shut down following Virginia’s 5.8-magnitude earthquake in August remains offline, but regulators say the plant sustained “no significant damage” and that the plant operator’s response protected public safety. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a public meeting Monday during which it summarized its findings in the wake of North Anna’s…