Worst natural disasters in 2016

In 2016, three major earthquakes rocked the world by their deadly nature including 663 killed in Ecuador. Storms, floods, landslides and notorious disease Ebola also claimed human lives. Other than lives, natural and human resources were destroyed by the natural calamities…

After a Disaster, Families Rebuild an Even Better House

When a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Napa, Calif., on Aug. 24, 2014, it pushed Jill and Steve Matthiasson’s 110-year-old farmhouse off its foundation. The couple was unhurt, but their home—set on 5 acres of vineyards for their winery—suffered significant damage.

“We thought it was the end of our house and the end of our business,” says Ms. Matthiasson, who is 54 years old.

Instead, friends, neighbors and a cousin who is a contractor all stepped up to help them rebuild their home even better than before. This one is bolted to its foundation with steel structural beams that can withstand seismic shaking and has an electrical system upgraded to meet code and new plumbing with flexible…