LA blazes devour thousands of homes, at least 10 dead
Relief from fierce winds has been short-lived for Los Angeles crews battling five destructive wildfires that have burned 10,000 structures and killed 10 people.
natural disasters
Countdown to election day as aftershocks rattle Vanuatu
Still reeling from aftershocks, campaigning has begun for a very challenging election in Vanuatu after many polling booths were hit in December's deadly quake.
Heavens open, bringing relief from heat and fires
Wet and cooler conditions across much of southeastern Australia have provided relief from the heat and a bushfire burning for three weeks.
Town braces for more flooding after heavy downpours
The clean-up has begun at a rain-hit town after flooding caused "massive damage" to roads while another community is bracing for rising water levels.
Flooding threat lifted, storms ahead for rain-hit area
A rain-soaked community has been warned a flooding threat may return with more storms on the horizon after an emergency alert was cancelled, capping a wet week.
Families prepare aid after cyclone rips through Mayotte
Authorities in the French overseas territory of Mayotte have confirmed 31 deaths from Cyclone Chido amid fears of thousands of fatalities.
Cyclone Chido death toll rises to 94 in Mozambique
The death toll from Cyclone Chido in northern Mozambique has risen to 94, as authorities continue to assess the damage caused by the devastating storm.
Australian story: PM remembers 50 years of Tracy
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reflected on how Cyclone Tracy impacted the nation on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Darwin being flattened.
Kids in Vanuatu struggle with mental health after quake
Aid workers want urgent mental health support for children in Vanuatu as they face fear and anxiety a week on from the devastating earthquake.
Rescuers race to find cyclone survivors in Mayotte
Hundreds of people are presumed dead on the French territory of Mayotte after Cyclone Chido hit the Indian Ocean archipelago, an official says.
Reef coral battling after bleaching, natural disasters
Coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef continues to struggle following extensive bleaching events which are increasing in frequency amid climate change.
Home lost, people told to flee Great Ocean Road towns
Tourists have been evacuated and people in Great Ocean Road towns have been told to leave immediately as Victoria's bushfire emergency claims at least one home.
More troops head to Spain flood zone as anger mounts
Thousands more soldiers are joining search and recovery efforts in eastern Spain as officials trade blame and local anger rises over the historic disaster.
Building bans and buybacks floated for flood zones
A federal investigation into flood insurance failures urges an end to building in high-risk areas and government intervention to stop skyrocketing premiums.
Biden tours Florida’s storm-hit streets after Milton
US President Joe Biden has toured communities in Florida after the second major storm in as many weeks pounded the region.
New Pacific rapid disaster response team for Brisbane
A group of defence ministers from Australia and Pacific nations have agreed to form a rapid response team for national disasters in the region.
AI-powered satellites to search for Aussie bushfires
A satellite constellation powered by artificial intelligence and machine-learning technology will launch from next year, watching the world for small fires.
Be prepared: north told to brace for spring bushfires
After recent above-average temperatures, the national council for fire and emergency services is predicting a risky spring fire season in northern Australia.
Disaster insurance claims driven by Queensland events
Insurers paid out $2.2 billion in claims related to extreme weather events in 2023/24, in line with the previous year, new figures show.
One dead as Greek wildfire burns in Athens suburbs
A wildfire continues to burn in suburbs close to the centre of Athens as hundreds of people are forced to relocate.
How a mother’s death from tsunami birthed an activist
Listening to local elders after a tsunami in Samoa killed her mother, Steph Hodgins-May went from environmental lawyer to senator to fight for climate justice.
Readying refugees for when natural disasters strike
A Somali refugee in Townsville is leading the way in educating newly arrived groups about disaster resilience preparing for Queensland's summer cyclone season.
Climate catastrophe: mapping nation’s disaster hotspots
Former emergency services chiefs say it is time to pump serious money into disaster preparedness as a map reveals Australia's disaster hotspots.
Hundreds feared dead after Papua New Guinea landslide
Rescuers are searching for survivors after a landslide flattened a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea, with hundreds of people feared dead.
Search for hundreds feared dead in huge PNG landslide
Hundreds of people are feared dead after a landslide hit a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea, wiping out buildings and blocking the only road access.
Wombat burrows help other critters survive after fires
Camera traps have shown wombat burrows are hot property after bushfires, with animals using them for shelter and as drinking stations after rain.
‘Remarkable’ more did not die in Black Summer: coroner
The report of a two-year Black Summer coronial inquiry has made numerous recommendations but left some impacted residents feeling ignored.
Coroner heeds lessons from deadly Black Summer infernos
The report of a two-year Black Summer coronial inquiry has made numerous recommendations for improvement but left some impacted residents feeling ignored.
Missing family of seven found safe in remote WA
The group of seven family members that have been missing in the West Australian outback have been found by police, and are reported to be safe and well.
Battle rages on as fire destroys at least one home
Fire crews are set to fight a massive bushfire in western Victoria for days before another spike in severe conditions is forecast.
Fire rages as Vic braces for ‘worst day in four years’
A bushfire west of Ballarat is expected to burn for days if not weeks but firefighters are concerned about changing weather conditions on Wednesday.