In the span of a week in August 2026, powerful storms and deadly flooding knocked out power to a half-million people across the Midwest; Tropical Storm Lala cut power to thousands more in Hawaii amid dangerous wind and flooding; wildfires forced evacuations in the western U.S.; and a powerful earthquake struck Colombia.
All were reminders of how quickly ordinary routines can give way to crisis, and how crucial mobile phones are today as people deal with disasters.
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