Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

Q: What type of volcano is Mount St. Helens? A: Mount St. Helens is a composite volcano (or Stratovolcano). According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) , the composite volcanoes are built of layers of alternating lava flow, ash and blocks of unmelted stone. Where is Mount St. Helens located? Mount St. Helens is located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States .  Mount St. Helens is located around 80 km northeast of Portland, Oregon and 154 km south of Seattle, Washington. When did Mount St. Helens erupt? Over the last 500 years, Mount St. Helens has had at least four major explosive eruptions and many minor eruptions. In 2005, Mount St. Helens released a column of smoke and ash nearly six miles high. Mount Saint Helens had its major eruption on May 18, 1980, becoming one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America. At least 57 people were killed during 1980 Mount St. Helens volcanic eruptio

April 23,2020: Magnitude 3.4 light earthquake ('Zemetrasenie' in Slovak) has been felt in Michalovce, Slovakia today at 01:18 am local time, The Slovak Academy of Sciences, Department of Seismology said. According to the Slovak Academy of Sciences , the earthquake occurred at 16 km depth. The quake's epicenter was located just 3 km W of Michalovce, Slovakia . Most of the earthquake felt reports were received from Strážske, Michalovcen and Galszéc areas. No preliminary reports of injuries or damages have been reported from earthquake in Michalovce, Slovakia.

April 21, 2020: Severe flooding in Afghanistan over the past weeks has claimed lives of at least 56 people and injured 31 others. The worst flood affected Provinces are Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Farah, Faryab, Parwan, Takhar, and Ghor.  Around 600 houses have been destroyed and more than 3 000 partially damaged.

April 21, 2020: Severe flooding has claimed lives of at least 36 people and injured 42 people in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. About 45 other people injured, 3,500 homes destroyed when the Mulongwe river flooded in Uvira city on Friday 17 April, 2020. About 1,000 families have been said to homeless. According to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the city of Uvira and surrounding areas in South Kivu have been the worst affected.

April 21, 2020: Severe flooding and landslides in Rwanda and Burundi have claimed lives of at least nine people and affected 27,000 people from April 17 to 20, 2020. Heavy rainfall triggered landslides in the district of Gicumbi in the Northern Province of Rwanda, with the most affected areas being Nyankenke and Kageyo sectors. Heavy rainfall wiped off the cobblestone road in an area commonly known as "Ku Ntaraga" in Kimisagara. Meteo Rwanda has issued heavy rainfall warnings until April 26, 2020.

Q: Do I need earthquake insurance as a renter? A: You're generally not required to buy earthquake insurance as a renter. But even if your landlord has earthquake insurance for the building, their policy won’t cover your belongings inside your rental home. If you live in earthquake prone areas and worried about the earthquake damage that would be caused, its better to get separate earthquake insurance policy . Does Renters Insurance Cover Earthquakes? Most standard renters policies don’t cover earthquake damage . And even if your landlord has earthquake insurance, their policy won’t cover your stuff. Earthquake insurance for renters is much less expensive than it is for homeowners.