Natural Disaster | featured news

Presidents often take trips to disaster areas to show concern -- and are often criticized over the expenses. Today, former Colorado governor Bill Owens -- a Republican -- questioned Obama's visit to Colorado Springs, saying it will divert resources from efforts to fight the wildfires ravaging the area.

High winds continued to whip through the Colorado Springs area on Wednesday, fanning the flames of the Waldo Canyon fire and more than doubling the amount of destroyed acreage.

Residents evacuated their homes and animals escaped from pens at a zoo as floods fed by a steady torrential downpour struck northeastern Minnesota, inundating the city of Duluth, officials said Wednesday.

One person was dead as massive wildfires in drought-parched Colorado and New Mexico burned out of control, while Western lawmakers pleaded for updates to an aging U.S. aerial firefighting fleet needed to combat a fire season that lasts year-round.

As many as 50 people are feared entombed under tons of rock and stone that buried a village in a landslide after two earthquakes in northern Afghanistan, authorities said Tuesday....

A strong earthquake off Indonesia's coast caused tall buildings to sway in the capital Monday afternoon, but officials said there was no threat of a tsunami. Office workers said the swaying was felt for about 10 seconds in high-rise buildings around the city of 9 million people. Even two-story residential homes shook strongly. No damage or casualties were immediately reported.

Experts say a massive wildfire that has become the largest blaze in New Mexico history may just be a preview of what's to come after months of drought.

A 5.8 magnitude tremor shook the Emilia Romagna region where a devastating quake struck less than 10 days ago.

A strong earthquake struck early Sunday in northern Italy, killing at least three people and knocking down a church bell in the region, authorities said.

A moderate earthquake off the coast of Baja California is swaying buildings in Mexico City.