The most difficult part in all of this is for any writer to be prepared - to understand as much as anyone can what are the possible outcomes. Focusing on unlikely outcomes is misleading. What makes this especially difficult in real life is that events happen with very little notice, so a reporter has no time to prepare. This same element of spontaneity and surprise can be written into fiction stories as well, catching characters and the audience off guard. Another difficult part is to immediately see real life events as fitting into the framework of a complete story.
Stories revolve around some conflict or human dilemma, and have four parts.
Stories have a set up that tells what is about to happen. They usually have a long struggle. Then the story comes to a climax, followed by the resolution. Event scene - Flood waters damaging land, businesses under water, homes being swept away. Climax scene - land is devastated and desolate.