Lightning is known to occur on average 44 times a second over the entire earth, totaling nearly 1.4 billion flashes a year.

Climate change is likely to pose a significant national security challenge for the U.S. over the next two decades by heightening social and political tensions, threatening the stability of some countries and increasing human health risks, according to a government report released September 21.

Nearly two-thirds of Californians say they’re worried about injury or property damage from an earthquake or other disaster, but they’re increasingly confident in the government’s ability to respond, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California survey.

Starting this month, communities in Vermont can be reimbursed for more than 12 percent of the local cost of disaster repairs, so long as they meet four flood-preparedness criteria.

Scientists are working to enhance existing GPS technologies to develop new systems for California and elsewhere to warn of natural disaster threats, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and extreme weather events, according to Homeland Security News Wire.

At the core of risk and resilience planning is the ability to gather intelligence and create situational awareness.