Browse Natural Disasters Stories - Page 4

Georgia peanut farmers, still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Michael on October 10-11, are facing uncertainty about when and where to unload their crop after harvest, says University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort.

What was an extremely promising Georgia cotton crop was devastated when Hurricane Michael ravaged south Georgia Oct. 10-11. According to Jared Whitaker, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist, the prospects of 1,500 to 1,800 pounds of dryland cotton for some producers were reduced, resulting in 80 to 90 percent losses in some fields.

Hurricane Michael blew across southwest Georgia on Oct. 10, causing more than $2 billion in losses to the state’s agriculture industry, according to early estimates from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agricultural economists and Extension agents.

With the state’s late summer and fall vegetable crop close to harvest, Georgia vegetable farmers estimate more than $480 million in losses from Hurricane Michael.

The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season kicked off with Subtropical Storm Alberto in May, and more powerful storms are anticipated as the season progresses. The best way to ensure the safety of your family during hurricane season is to be prepared with a disaster plan. If you are a pet owner, that plan should include your pets.

All hands on deck! Stormy weather and hurricanes can blow through with little warning this time of year. Preparation before the storm hits can mean the difference between safe food and water and contaminated supplies that can make you sick.

Longtime residents of Georgia may remember the devastating floods of Tropical Storm Alberto in July 1994. The rain was so intense that Georgia’s one-day rainfall record was set during that storm: 21.10 inches of rain was recorded in Americus, Georgia, over a 24-hour period ending on July 6, 1994, as the storm stalled over the state. Despite that incredible record and the resulting damage, the National Hurricane Center did not retire that storm’s name. “Alberto” is the first on the list of Atlantic tropical storm names for the 2018 season, which begins on June 1.

University of Georgia natural resource economist Craig Landry will use his portion of a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study how the economy and the environment are affected when humans and coastal regions commingle. The four-year project is a team effort with researchers from Colorado, North Carolina and Ohio.

Tropical Storm Irma blew powerful winds of up to 70 mph when she hit Georgia, providing homeowners, tree removal services and insurance companies plenty of work to do. Examining storm-damaged trees can provide insight into why some trees "fail" during windstorms.