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Maps and Imagery for Hurricane Response

USGS geospatial data, tools, maps, imagery, and elevation data can aid local, state, and federal agencies in making decisions that can protect lives and property

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The temblor that changed earthquake science turns 30

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Record Flooding in Yellowstone: What Did the Seismic Record Record?

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Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake in Khōst, Afghanistan

The USGS has up-to-date details on the June 21, 2022 event

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USGS Crews Continue to Measure and Assess Yellowstone River Flood Conditions and Probabilities

Realtime information available online

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USGS Participates in Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

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Natural Hazards

Every year in the United States, natural hazards threaten lives and livelihoods and result in billions of dollars in damage. We work with many partners to monitor, assess, and conduct targeted research on a wide range of natural hazards so that policymakers and the public have the understanding they need to enhance preparedness, response, and resilience.

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Reducing Risk

Venn Diagram: Hazards and Society

USGS scientists develop new products to make science available to the public, emergency managers, and decision-makers. These efforts increase public safety and reduce risk and economic losses caused by natural hazards.

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Subduction Zone Science

Simple illustration of the various parts of a subduction zone where one oceanic plate is thrust beneath another.

The most powerful earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and volcanic eruptions occur in subduction zones, where two plates collide and one is thrust beneath another.

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News

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In depth: Surprising tsunamis caused by explosive eruption in Tonga

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Massive Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami Informs Plan for Future Eruptions, Sea-level Rise

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Information Regarding Felt Earthquakes in American Samoa

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Publications

Diatom influence on the production characteristics of hydrate-bearing sediments: examples from Ulleung Basin, offshore South Korea

The Ulleung Basin Gas Hydrate field expeditions in 2007 (UBGH1) and 2010 (UBGH2) sought to assess the Basin's gas hydrate resource potential. Coring operations in both expeditions recovered evidence of gas hydrate, primarily as fracture-filling (or vein type) morphologies in mainly silt-sized, fine-grained sediment, but also as pore-occupying hydrate in the coarser-grained layers of interbedded sa
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Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Earthquake Hazards, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

U.S. strong-motion programs

No abstract available.
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Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards

Flexible multimethod approach for seismic site characterization

We describe the flexible multimethod seismic site characterization technique for obtaining shear-wave velocity (VS) profiles and derivative information, such as the time-averaged VS of the upper 30 m (VS30). Simply stated, the multimethod approach relies on the application of multiple independent noninvasive site characterization acquisition and analysis techniques utilized in a flexible field-bas
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Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center
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Science

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View of beach from roof top, edge of roof in foreground, pier extending from beach out over water in center, park in background.

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
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Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
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Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
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Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Puerto Rico Landslide Hazard Mitigation Project

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, it triggered more than 70,000 landslides across the island, which disrupted transportation routes, dislodged homes from their foundations on steep hillsides, and caused both direct and indirect loss of life. In the wake of the hurricane, professionals in Puerto Rico reached out to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for technical and educational...
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Natural Hazards
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Puerto Rico Landslide Hazard Mitigation Project

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, it triggered more than 70,000 landslides across the island, which disrupted transportation routes, dislodged homes from their foundations on steep hillsides, and caused both direct and indirect loss of life. In the wake of the hurricane, professionals in Puerto Rico reached out to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for technical and educational...
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map of landslide locations

Interactive U.S. Landslide Data Maps

Interactive U.S. Landslide Data Maps with access to GIS data.
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Natural Hazards, Landslide Hazards, Landslide Hazards
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Interactive U.S. Landslide Data Maps

Interactive U.S. Landslide Data Maps with access to GIS data.
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