Disaster

The Los Angeles Times reports: As the growing KNP Complex fire continues its march through Sequoia National Park, fire crews on Thursday were prepping the famed Giant Forest for flames by wrapping some of the massive sequoias in fire-resistant aluminum material. The Colony fire — one of two blazes making up the more than 9,000-acre complex fire — is within …

Reuters reports: A man and two women were arrested and charged with stealing the identities of seven victims of the Surfside condominium collapse near Miami Beach this summer and attempting to obtain credit cards in their names, a Florida prosecutor said on Wednesday. Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, 30, Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, and Rodney Choute, 38, face multiple counts of identity …

ABC New York reports: President Joe Biden has approved disaster declarations for both New Jersey and New York following devastation by the remnants of Hurricane Ida and ahead of the president’s planned visits to both states on Tuesday. In New York, the president’s approval makes federal funds available to affected individuals in the counties of Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, and …

The New York Daily News reports: New York State is seeking additional federal funding to help people dislocated by deadly Hurricane Ida, under a document signed Sunday by Gov. Hochul. She called on President Biden to designate the storm a “major disaster,” opening up cash for measures like temporary housing assistance. Biden approved an emergency disaster declaration for New York …

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports: The power was still out for more than 600,000 Entergy customers in Louisiana on Saturday, as the utility’s top executives said it continued to make slow progress fixing the worst ever storm damage to hit the state’s electricity infrastructure. The damage to Entergy’s transmission infrastructure — to poles, sub-stations, distribution lines, and even the large …

CNN reports: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday evening that at least 23 people in his state have died due to the storm. Murphy said the majority of the storm-related deaths were people who were caught in their vehicles by flooding and were “overtaken by the water.” At least 45 people have died in six states in the East. …

The New York Times reports: The transit situation on Thursday in the New York City region remained paralyzed after record-breaking rains, with service on most of the city’s subway lines disrupted or delayed, commuter rail lines running few trains, and Amtrak canceling service on a major corridor. Janno Lieber, acting chairman of the M.T.A., said on Thursday on CNN that …

The New York Daily News reports: Gov. Hochul Thursday declared a state of emergency for New York City and the entire surrounding region after the remnants of Hurricane Ida spawned catastrophic rain and flooding. “Torrential rainfall has resulted in flash flooding, power outages, travel disruptions and damage in impacted areas posing a threat to public health and safety,” Hochul said. …

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports: The massive storm, which arrived on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, sent rescuers scrambling to retrieve people from attics as flood waters poured into places like Lafitte, LaPlace and Braithwaite. The winds, matching the highest speeds ever recorded in Louisiana, tore roofs off homes, toppled transmission towers and left historic buildings in ruin. But …

The Associated Press reports: Fire officials ordered more evacuations around the Tahoe Basin as a two-week old blaze encroached on the threatened mountain towns surrounding glimmering Lake Tahoe. By nightfall, all residents on the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin were warned to evacuate the region, after fire officials had stressed for days that protecting the area was their …

USA Today reports: Mayor Tim Kerner said much of the Town of Jean Lafitte, a community of 2,000 people just outside Jefferson Parish levee protection system, was underwater. Kerner told WGNO the levees were overtopped by rapidly rising water. Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng told the station that “people are in attics in Lower Lafitte.” “Total devastation, catastrophic” Kerner said. …

The Associated Press reports: At least 22 people were killed and rescue crews searched desperately Sunday amid shattered homes and tangled debris for dozens of people still missing after record-breaking rain sent floodwaters surging through Middle Tennessee. Saturday’s flooding in rural areas took out roads, cellphone towers and telephone lines, leaving families uncertain about whether their loved ones survived the …

CNN reports: The US Geological Survey said it’s likely that casualties are “high” after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck near Haiti Saturday morning. “High casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” according to the USGS. Haiti’s Civil Protection told CNN there have been fatalities and damage. A tsunami threat that had been issued for the region has passed, according …

Miami’s ABC News affiliate reports: On June 24, the Champlain Towers South building collapsed, killing 98 people. Officials are still in the early stages of determining the cause of the catastrophe. The town has already received an offer on the property, but what the future holds for this land is in limbo. Some families want to see a memorial where …

The Hill reports: Some firefighters battling the massive Dixie Fire raging in Northern California have faced some unforeseen challenges when trying to evacuate residents in harm’s way. Local KPIX reported that firefighters working to evacuate the historic mountain town of Greenville last week encountered residents who refused to leave their property and threatened firefighters with weapons as the blaze moved …

Politico reports: The Dixie Fire burning in two Northern California counties is now the largest single wildfire in recorded state history, exploding in size overnight as drought-stricken lands continue to fuel the flames. The fire, which has burned for 23 days and forced mass evacuations, razed the Gold Rush town of Greenville on Thursday, destroying 91 buildings and damaging five …

Miami’s NBC News affiliate reports: Officials in Miami-Dade County said Monday the last remaining missing person has been accounted for and identified in the Surfside condominium tragedy. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said all 98 families have been notified regarding the deaths of their loved ones. A total of 242 people are accounted for, the mayor said. Levine Cava said 97 …

Miami’s ABC News affiliate reports: After 29 emotionally and physically difficult days of search, rescue, and recovery efforts at the site of the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse, members of two task forces were saluted as they demobilized Friday at noon. “Providing closure to families was the ultimate test of everybody here, and I think we did our best to …

Changing America reports: The intense smoke and heat from an Oregon wildfire is producing “fire clouds,” also known as pyrocumulus clouds, above the far-ranging fire — creating plumes of smoke and ash that have reached a height of over a mile into the sky. Fire clouds can spew ash and embers, sometimes even lightning, to other areas and further increase …

Miami’s ABC News affiliate reports: Disturbing reports are emerging of a hacker taking advantage of those who were killed in the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside. Officials said the criminal is seeing the victims’ names in the news and then stealing their identities. Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told Local 10 News that he is …