Environment

Why The Way Hurricanes Are Classified Can Be Deceptive

7:14pm September 18, 2018

Meteorologists have been using a nearly 50-year-old scale to measure the wind speed and storm surge of a hurricane. But it's not a good measure for rain, which can often become the most dangerous aspect of a storm.

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Protests Continue In Port City In Iraq Over Lack Of Drinking Water And Corruption

4:37pm September 18, 2018

by Jane Arraf

Iraq's port city of Basra is a hub of oil wealth but is poor and angry. Protests have continued for weeks over a lack of drinking water and an excess of political corruption — with some blaming Iran.

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Bob Richling carries Iris Darden as water from the Little River starts to seep into her home in Spring Lake, N.C. on Monday.

Floodwaters Rise In Carolinas, Taking Lives And Prompting Environmental Concerns

4:12pm September 18, 2018

by Laurel Wamsley

The storm is blamed for 34 deaths in three states. More than 10,000 people in North Carolina are living in shelters, and thousands of people have been rescued from their homes.

Environment

Yadkin River At Elkin Crests Below Flood Predictions, Monitoring Continues

6:47pm September 17, 2018

by Keri Brown

Emergency officials are breathing a sigh of relief after the Yadkin River crested below anticipated flood levels.

Flooding From Hurricane Florence Also Poses Environmental Risks

5:40pm September 17, 2018

Flood waters breached a pit of coal ash at a power plant in Wilmington, N.C., spilling heavy metals into a nearby lake. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Frank Holleman at the Southern Environmental Law Center about the risks of coal ash water contamination.

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Triad Shelters Absorb Overflow Of Florence Evacuees

3:37pm September 17, 2018

by David Ford

As of Sunday, more than 17,000 people had sought refuge from Florence in nearly 140 Red Cross and community shelters across North Carolina.

Environment

Florence Moves Out Of Northwest NC But Leaves Some Risks Behind

2:52pm September 17, 2018

by Paul Garber

The Yadkin River began receding today after reaching a crest of more than 17 feet, Yadkin County officials say.

Double Mountain Brewery founder Matt Swihart grabs freshly bottled pale ale from the bottling line in Hood River. The ale is among the first to be sold in Oregon's new refillable beer bottles.

Oregon Launches First Statewide Refillable Bottle System In U.S.

8:02am September 17, 2018

by Cassandra Profita

The new beer bottles can be refilled up to 40 times and are designed to be easily separated from the rest of the glass in the deposit system, ensuring that they get refilled instead of recycled.

Team Effort Helps Local Shelter Ride Out The Storm

8:47pm September 16, 2018

by David Ford

Over the weekend, North Carolina housed roughly 20,000 people fleeing Florence in more than 150 shelters statewide.

Giant 'Pac-Man' Launched To Gobble Garbage Patch

5:21pm September 16, 2018

Last Saturday, the nonprofit Ocean Cleanup dispatched a device to help clean up litter in the Pacific Ocean. NPR's Michel Martin talks with Boyan Slat, the young CEO who came up with the idea.