NASA sees formation of Tropical Depression Melor in northwestern Pacific Ocean

Fri, 11 Dec 2015 21:40:00 +0100phys (en)

NASA's Aqua satellite captured this infrared image of Bohale on Dec. 10 at 2:47 p.m. EST that showed powerful thunderstorms with cold cloud top temperatures (purple) near minus 63 Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius) surrounded the center. Credit: NASA JPL/Ed Olsen.

Fresh tatami mats awaiting future disaster victims, courtesy of earthquake survivor

Fri, 11 Dec 2015 08:16:00 +0100ajw (en)

A tatami shop owner who lost his home in the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 is helping natural disaster victims with a project to supply them with traditional straw mats. Hundreds of manufacturers have signed up for Toshiyasu Maeda’s industry-wide initiative to donate 5,000 tatami mats to evacuation centers in the event of a natural disaster.

Deadline near on government pledge to match Syria donations

Fri, 11 Dec 2015 07:55:00 +0100ottawacitizen (en)

Aid groups are hoping Canadians will still support the millions of Syrian refugees who won’t be coming here, as the clock ticks down on the federal government’s promise to match private donations to help them. Thursday, the first of what will end up being dozens of planeloads of Syrian hoping to start new lives in Canada was to arrive in Toronto.

Zoo Miami reopens Thursday after flood recedes

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 14:39:00 +0100miamiherald (en)

The usually dry mote around the elephant exhibit is full of water at Zoo Miami. PATRICK FARRELL pfarrell@miamiherald.com. After a weekend deluge forced it to close for five days, Zoo Miami is reopening its gates Thursday. The county-owned tourist attraction remained closed Wednesday in the wake of....

Officials confident Zoo Miami will reopen Thursday

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 09:20:00 +0100miamiherald (en)

Zoo Miami is preparing to reopen after weekend flooding forced it to close for five days. Communications director Ron Magill tells the Miami Herald (http://hrld.us/1RbtZRR ) officials feel confident the zoo will reopen its gates Thursday. He says only additional heavy rain would force another closure.

Zoo Miami preparing to reopen Thursday after flood recedes

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 00:19:00 +0100miamiherald (en)

The usually dry mote around the elephant exhibit is full of water at Zoo Miami. PATRICK FARRELL pfarrell@miamiherald.com. After a weekend deluge forced it to close for five days, Zoo Miami is preparing to reopen its gates Thursday. The county-owned tourist attraction remained closed Wednesday in....

CNMI recovery from Soudelor winds down

Wed, 09 Dec 2015 21:21:00 +0100rnzi (en)

Recovery efforts in the Northern Marianas are winding down, four months after Typhoon Soudelor devastated much of the main island of Saipan. The United States Federal Emergency Management Authority will close its field office on Saipan next Friday after it was opened when the category five typhoon tore through the island in August.