The story and personal accounts of 1992's Hurricane Andrew provide a backdrop for learning about hurricanes in general and the devastation they can cause. This book also examines the dynamics of hurricanes, the role of meteorologists, and the importance of timely, efficient relief operations in a hurricane aftermath. Includes a chronology that tracks Andrew's path, and a timeline of other major U.S. hurricanes.

On January 10, 2005, people who lived in the small oceanfront town of La Conchita, California, were horrified to hear a loud rumble. Weakened by heavy rains, the mountain overlooking the town began to crumble. Thousands of tons of mud mowed over trees, houses, and people. When it stopped, a huge hill contained fifteen houses and up to twenty-one people. In the days that followed, rescue workers and townspeople worked together to save as many as possible....

Many theories have been put forth to explain the mysterious disappearance of the dinosaurs. Did they get too large to survive? Did the climate change too abruptly? Did an asteroid collide with Earth? This inviting book explains some of the theories and examines why they've been accepted or rejected.

Late in 1945, five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a routine training mission. Soon the mission became anything but routine. Flight 19, as it was known, became hopelessly lost. Then the planes vanished. No one ever found a trace of them or the 14 men who had been aboard. Starting five years later, people began to notice a pattern of disappearances of ships and airplanes similar to Flight 19. These disappearances...

Learn about this devastating disaster.

Natural Disasters - Earthquakes - DISASTER FILE: Pakistan - Earth's Layers - Tectonic Plates - DISASTER FILE: San Andreas Fault - During an Earthquake - Measuring an Earthquake - DISASTER FILE: Chile - Liquefaction and Avalanches - DISASTER FILE: Peru - Floods and Tsunamis - DISASTER FILE: Indian Ocean - Disaster Relief - Disaster Files at a Glance - Glossary - Index

In 1918, the deadliest virus in human history struck worldwide with hardly any warning. A victim of the Spanish flu could wake up healthy and fall down dead the same day. In the United States, so many people fell ill that schools and churches closed. There werent enough healthy doctors and nurses to care for the sick, or enough healthy gravediggers to bury the dead. When U.S. troops joined World War I that year, they couldnt have imagined that more...

Natural Disasters - Tsunamis - What is a Tsunami? - DISASTER FILE: Indian Ocean - How Tsunamis are Created - Common Causes of Tsunamis - DISASTER FILE: Sanriku, Japan - Other Causes of Tsunamis - DISASTER FILE: Krakatoa, Indonesia - Where Tsunamis Happen - When Tsunamis Hit - Forecasting Tsunamis - DISASTER FILE: The Aleutian Islands - Disaster Relief - Disaster Files at a Glance - Glossary - Index

"Examines the science behind hurricanes, including how and where tropical storms form, the various types of tropical storms, how scientists track hurricanes, and provides hurricane safety tips"--Provided by publisher.