Latest fromNatural Disasters
I just tried to stay on top, says avalanche survivor
A skier caught in an avalanche on Mt Hutt has described how he fought to stay on top of the snow.
Kiwis caught in Vanuatu quake
A NZ man last night told of fleeing his Port Vila office building when a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu, sending frightened residents and tourists rushing for high ground.
China mudslides strike lethal blow
Rescuers dug through mud and wreckage searching for 1,300 people still missing. Photos / AP
Mt Hutt skifield reopens after shock avalanche
An avalanche closed Mt Hutt today but the mountain has now reopened and though some skiers were partially buried, no one was hurt.
Sean Penn slams Wyclef's Haiti efforts
Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has poured cold water on Wyclef Jean's bid for the Haitian presidency.
Mfat trying to contact Kiwi in flood zone
Efforts to contact a New Zealander known to be in India's remote Himalayan region of Ladakh hit by flash floods are continuing today.
Russian wheat crisis may aid NZ farmers
Russia last week banned grain exports for the rest of the year after a severe drought and wildfires destroyed 20 per cent of its wheat crop.
NZ man missing in flooded northern India
A New Zealand man is missing in a flood-stricken area of northern India.
Deadly flooding in Pakistan
Over 30 million people have been hit by Pakistan's worst ever floods, with at least 1600 lives lost.
China floods kill hundreds
Three-quarters of China's provinces have been hit by floods and more than 1000 people have died or been lost in the severe flooding so far this year.
How do Earthquakes occur in New Zealand?
Kelvin Berryman explains how the tectonic plate boundary creates faults and earthquakes in New Zealand. Video / GNS