Natural Disaster | featured news

Geologists and engineers are assessing the stability of a scenic Puget Sound area after a large landside thundered down a hillside, knocking one house off its foundation and threatening others.

In this aerial photo, a landslide is shown near Coupeville, Wash.

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico, on Tuesday, causing buildings to sway as far away as Mexico City, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Oaxaca is about 300 miles from Mexico City, where the tremors set off earthquake alarms, The Associated Press reported.

After a man was swallowed by a sinkhole in Tampa, Fla., there seemed to be new ones opening up all over the place, but experts say that’s just what sinkholes do.

Sensors gave 30 seconds' warning before Monday's desert temblor was felt at Caltech. Scientists hope to get funds to expand the pilot project into a statewide network. In the seismic annals of California, Monday's magnitude 4.7 earthquake was little more than a footnote. It gave Southern California a small morning jolt but caused no damage and was largely shrugged off by noon.

Emergency officials in Mississippi are assessing damage after a tornado ripped through a populated area near the University of Southern Mississippi.

The U.S. Geological Survey says a strong but deep earthquake has shaken western Colombia. The agency says the quake struck at 9:16 a.m. (1606 GMT) Saturday and had a magnitude of 7.0. it was located about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from Pasto.

A 1-meter tsunami was confirmed by instruments near the Solomon Islands after an 8.0-magnitude quake, said a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center geophysicist.

The House has approved a $50.7 billion measure for Superstorm Sandy victims. The 241-180 vote sends the measure to the Senate which is expected to take it up next Tuesday. Northeast lawmakers from both parties have been pressing for the aid for more than two months.

The U.S. Agriculture Department cited drought and heat on Wednesday in designating 597 counties in 14 states as primary natural disaster areas.

The House has overwhelmingly approved $9.7 billion to pay flood insurance claims for the many home and business owners flooded out by Superstorm Sandy. The vote came more than two months after the storm hit and days after Northeast Republicans erupted over House Speaker John Boehner's decision to delay an earlier vote.