Councils back polluter-paid climate compensation fund
Funding community climate resilience and repairs via a fossil fuel company levy has been formally endorsed by local governments at an annual conference.
weather
Forty drown in France as people seek relief from heat
Europe has woken to another sweltering day along with news that dozens of people have drowned while trying to cool off from a heatwave gripping the continent.
Wild, unseasonal weather unleashes severe thunderstorms
Unseasonal weather has unleashed heavy downpours and 500,000 lightning strikes across a rain-sodden region and caused chaos, triggering flash flooding.
Wild weather for southeast, as storm threatens Origin I
Heavy rain and thunderstorms have been predicted for the coming days in Australia's southeast, with wild weather possibly disrupting the State of Origin opener.
Highway to the highfalutin’: opera hits the outback
Put on your fancy pants and cowboy hats: opera's annual run through a state's outback towns is back. Just look out for flying locusts.
Bowen to back electrification at UN climate summit
Australia and Turkey have revealed that the global oil crisis will prompt a major focus on electrification at the United Nations climate talks in November.
Climate agencies to ask AI to predict future disasters
Artificial intelligence could play a major role in predicting natural disasters around Australia but authorities warn they do not understand it well enough.
Woman killed, dozens of teens rescued in flood chaos
A month's worth of rain has hit some regions over 36 hours, with the wild weather leading to a fatal road crash and the rescue of stranded students at a camp.
Climate change risks billions in roads, hospitals bills
A state has been warned climate change-linked weather hazards endanger almost a fifth of the value of major infrastructure assets.
‘Proper winter’: early snow dump blankets alpine areas
It's shaping up as a decent season for skiers and snowboarders, with a number of Australia's most popular alpine areas getting an early coat of snow.
Cyclone Vaianu leaves clean-up under way in New Zealand
Clean-up crews are at work in parts of New Zealand's North Island after Cyclone Vaianu tore through the region, triggering floods and cutting power.
Evacuations ordered as NZ braces for Cyclone Vaianu
Cyclone Vaianu is forecast to bring heavy rain and winds of up to 130km/h to New Zealand, then pass west of the remote Chatham Islands.
Cyclone on move as flood-weary region watches and waits
A tropical cyclone is about to head towards the Australian coast, putting a flood-battered region on edge again even as it cleans up from another severe system.
Cat-five Maila set to weaken before Queensland crossing
Tropical Cyclone Maila has strengthened in the sea between Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands and has smashed records as a category five storm.
Cyclones threaten Fiji, Solomon Islands, PNG, even NZ
Meteorologists are warning that a cyclone currently lashing Fiji could arrive in New Zealand on the weekend with a concerning intensity.
Warnings as Fiji braces for strengthening cyclone
Fiji is on alert as Cyclone Vaianu intensifies and threatens to lash its islands with strong winds and heavy rain, even though it's unlikely to make landfall.
New cyclone threat looms for battered far north
A potential cyclone is looming off the Australian east coast, threatening further devastation to a region still cleaning up from the last natural disaster.
‘Pretty devastating’: tourism hit by rare cyclone
One of Australia's most remarkable cyclones may impact a state's tourism sector after leaving a trail of damage across the country.
Crops flattened, towns smashed by rampaging cyclone
Bananas, livestock and vegetables have felt the brunt of Cyclone Narelle as communities clean up following the brutal storm.
‘Harrowing’ night as cyclone devastates remote towns
A "devastating" cyclone has torn through coastal towns, leaving homes destroyed, power out and shell-shocked residents picking up the pieces.
Famed outback music festival cancelled after heavy rain
Music festival Birdsville Big Red Bash has been cancelled for 2026 after heavy rains. It's more bad news for live music lovers after the collapse of Bluesfest.
‘Screaming winds’: severe cyclone pummels holiday town
A severe tropical cyclone has hammered a holiday town, ripping off roofs and flooding homes as it winds its way down Australia's west coast.
breaking_news
emergency planning
meteorological disaster
natural disasters
warning
weather
weather news
windstorms
Long-lived cyclone intensifies as it skirts coast
After traversing three states, Cyclone Narelle could intensify into a category five system as it passes a series of isolated coastal communities.
Wet year brings on-land nature wins but oceans suffer
Australia's environment has enjoyed another above-average year of rainfall, though climate change has been stressing oceans and vulnerable species.
Town on high alert in cyclone’s wake amid flood fears
Just when they thought it was safe to forget about the water, residents of a sandbagged outback town are bracing for a second round of flooding.
Rain-hit region braces as tropical storm sweeps past
Top End locals are wary of another flood threat after a former cyclone swept past, causing less damage than first expected as it speeds toward another state.
Hospital evacuated as sodden ground braces for Narelle
Communities still reeling from recent flooding are now dealing with evacuated hospitals, the prospect of extreme weather and surging tides.
Relief as hundreds evacuated from path of cyclone
Evacuees from the path of a cyclone feel safe but are anxious about the homes and pets they left behind as flood-hit Top End communities face a further deluge.
disaster and accident
emergency planning
forecast
meteorological disaster
weather
weather news
windstorms
‘Not out of danger’: hundreds flee as mega storm nears
Authorities warn northern Australia remains under threat from Cyclone Narelle as it moves west after crossing the coast, unleashing heavy rain and gales.
Power bill relief on the cards as wholesale prices fall
Power bill saving of up to $200 can be anticipated for some customers next financial year under proposed safety net prices.
‘Something’s coming:’ worst cyclone in a century looms
A remote community is bracing for the biggest cyclone to hit the region in more than a century, seven years after a category four storm devastated the town.