U.S. Geological Survey FAQ and U.S. Geological Survey page on sinkholes:

"A sinkhole is a depression in the ground that has no natural external surface drainage. Basically this means that when it rains, all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FAQs:

"Contributed by Chris Landsea (National Hurricane Center)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FAQs:

"Contributed by Roger Edwards, Storm Prediction Center:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FAQs:

"The actual number is unknown, because it is likely that (throughout the course of history) many tornadoes were either not reported or erroneously categorized.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FAQs:

U.S. Geological Survey FAQs:

"Rainfall in any form will provide some drought relief. A good analogy might be how medicine and illness relate to each other. A single dose of medicine can alleviate symptoms of illness, but it usually takes a sustained program of medication to cure an illness. Likewise, a single rainstorm will not break the drought, but it may provide temporary relief.

U.S. Geological Survey FAQs:

"No. Neither the USGS nor any other scientists have ever predicted a major earthquake. We do not know how, and we do not expect to know how any time in the foreseeable future.

The USGS focuses its efforts on the long-term mitigation of earthquake hazards by helping to improve the safety of structures, rather than by trying to accomplish short-term predictions."

U.S. Geological Survey FAQs:

Monetary losses from landslides come from the destruction of infrastructure, homes and businesses; loss of life; disruption of transportation routes; disruption and contamination of water supplies; and the difficulty of both removing and stabilizing landslide material. Even a small landslide that damages a few homes can cost millions of dollars. Losses from landslides in the United States were estimated in 1980 to exceed $1 billion per year. More recently, the U.S.

From the U.S. Geological Survey FAQs: