Climate change doubled chance of South African floods that killed 435 people
2 years, 7 months ago

Climate change doubled chance of South African floods that killed 435 people

CNN  

CNN — Human-induced climate change made the extreme rainfall that triggered deadly floods in South Africa in April heavier and twice as likely to happen, a rapid analysis published Friday by the World Weather Attribution project shows. Parts of South Africa experienced more than 350mm of rainfall in two days, causing destructive floods in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces, killing at least 435 people and damage to property worth around $1.57 billion. “Most people who died in the floods lived in informal settlements, so again we are seeing how climate change disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable people,” said Friederike Otto from the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, who leads the World Weather Attribution project. “We need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a new reality where floods and heatwaves are more intense and damaging.” Scientists have warned that the world must try to cap global warming to 1.5C to stave off some irreversible impacts of climate change.

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History of this topic

Revealed: The 10 DEADLIEST extreme weather events over the past 20 years - and scientists say climate change made them ALL worse
2 months, 1 week ago

Revealed: The 10 DEADLIEST extreme weather events over the past 20 years - and scientists say climate change made them ALL worse

Daily Mail  

From droughts, floods and heatwaves, it seems no corner of the globe has been spared by fatal climate events in the past two decades. All 10 events – three tropical cyclones, four heatwaves, a drought and two floods – were made worse by human-caused climate change, say scientists at World Weather Attribution. The Somalian drought back in 2011 caused a …

Climate change-worsened floods wreak havoc in Africa
2 months, 1 week ago

Climate change-worsened floods wreak havoc in Africa

Raw Story  

Every rainy season for the past 12 years, floods have swept through 67-year-old Idris Egbunu's house in central Nigeria. Torrential rains and severe flooding have affected around 6.9 million people in West and Central Africa so far in 2024, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. - 'Very, very bad' - Residents and …

Climate change worsened deadly Africa floods, scientists say
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Climate change worsened deadly Africa floods, scientists say

Raw Story  

Human-caused climate change worsened floods that have killed hundreds of people and displaced millions in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan this year, according to a study published on Wednesday. The researchers also said climate change would have made this year's torrential rains around five to 20 percent more intense across the Niger and Lake Chad basins, citing a previous …

Deadly Floods in Africa: Scientists Warn of Climate Change Impact
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Deadly Floods in Africa: Scientists Warn of Climate Change Impact

Al Jazeera  

Global warming is wreaking havoc on Africa, with deadly floods causing widespread devastation. The rains have become more intense and frequent, leading to catastrophic flooding in countries like Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan. These floods have resulted in the loss of life and displacement of millions, highlighting the urgent need to address climate change and transition to sustainable energy sources.

African nations are losing up to 5% of their GDP per year with climate change, a new report says
4 months, 1 week ago

African nations are losing up to 5% of their GDP per year with climate change, a new report says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy African nations are losing up …

Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — The impact of the calamitous rains that struck East Africa from March to May was intensified by a mix of climate change and rapid growth of urban areas, an international team of climate scientists said in a study published Friday. Kenya Red Cross workers and volunteers, carry a man’s body retrieved from mud, after floodwater washed away …

Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The impact of the calamitous …

Kenya flooding death toll climbs to 70 since March
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Kenya flooding death toll climbs to 70 since March

Al Jazeera  

More than 120,000 people have been displaced, Kenyan government says, with 22 others injured and eight reported missing. Flooding and heavy rains in Kenya have killed at least 70 people since mid-March, according to a government spokesperson, twice as many as were reported earlier this week. “The official tally of fellow Kenyans who regrettably have lost their lives due to …

At least 155 killed in Tanzania as heavy rains pound East Africa
8 months, 2 weeks ago

At least 155 killed in Tanzania as heavy rains pound East Africa

Al Jazeera  

More than 200,000 people and 51,000 households have been affected by the rains, Tanzania’s prime minister said. Flooding and landslides in Tanzania caused by weeks of heavy rain have killed 155 people and injured 236 others, the country’s prime minister has said, as intense downpours continue across East Africa. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told Parliament that the El Nino climate …

Flooding wreaks havoc across East Africa. Burundi is especially hard-hit
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Flooding wreaks havoc across East Africa. Burundi is especially hard-hit

Associated Press  

BUJUMBURA, Burundi — Deadly floods are wreaking havoc in many parts of East Africa that face torrential rainfall, with Burundi calling for international help to deal with the aftermath. Lake Tanganyika’s rising waters have invaded the port of Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, disrupting business there and elsewhere in the country that relies heavily on donor support to run government programs. …

Extreme drought in southern Africa leaves millions hungry
9 months, 1 week ago

Extreme drought in southern Africa leaves millions hungry

Associated Press  

MANGWE, Zimbabwe — Delicately and with intense concentration, Zanyiwe Ncube poured her small share of precious golden cooking oil into a plastic bottle at a food aid distribution site deep in rural Zimbabwe. USAID and the United Nations’ World Food Programme aim to help some of the 2.7 million people in rural Zimbabwe threatened with hunger because of the drought …

In a cycle of extreme weather, drought in southern Africa leaves some 20 million facing hunger
9 months, 1 week ago

In a cycle of extreme weather, drought in southern Africa leaves some 20 million facing hunger

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They're aiming to help some of the 2.7 million …

Malawi follows Zambia in declaring drought disaster as El Niño brings hunger to southern Africa
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Malawi follows Zambia in declaring drought disaster as El Niño brings hunger to southern Africa

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A third country, Zimbabwe, has …

With death toll rising, Kenyan military evacuates people from flood-hit areas
1 year ago

With death toll rising, Kenyan military evacuates people from flood-hit areas

Associated Press  

MANDERA, Kenya — Kenya’s military hastened efforts Thursday to evacuate hundreds of people trapped by raging floods that have hit many parts of the East African country. On Wednesday, British High Commissioner Neil Wigan visited remote Mandera County, where a severe drought a year ago wiped out the livelihoods of residents in many communities. ”Climate change is one of the …

Scientists: Climate change intensified the rains devastating East Africa
1 year, 1 month ago

Scientists: Climate change intensified the rains devastating East Africa

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — Ongoing catastrophic rains in Eastern Africa have been worsened by human-caused climate change that made them up to two times more intense, an international team of climate scientists said Thursday. October to December is a “short rains” season in Eastern Africa, with the frequency and intensity of the rains influenced by two naturally occurring climate phenomena: El …

Floods, landslides kill dozens in northern Tanzania
1 year, 1 month ago

Floods, landslides kill dozens in northern Tanzania

Al Jazeera  

East Africa has been hit for weeks by torrential rain and flooding linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon. At least 47 people have been killed and 85 others injured in landslides caused by flooding in northern Tanzania, says a local official, with warnings the toll could rise. “Up to this evening, the death toll reached 47 and 85 injured,” …

Once-in-a-century flooding swamps Somalia after historic drought
1 year, 1 month ago

Once-in-a-century flooding swamps Somalia after historic drought

The Hindu  

The United Nations has described floods that uprooted hundreds of thousands of people in Somalia and neighbouring countries in East Africa following a historic drought as a once-in-a-century event. Around 1.6 million people in Somalia could be affected by the heavy seasonal downpours, which have been worsened by the combined impact of two climate phenomenons, El Niño and the Indian …

Floods kill at least 31 in Somalia. UN warns of a flood event likely to happen once in 100 years
1 year, 1 month ago

Floods kill at least 31 in Somalia. UN warns of a flood event likely to happen once in 100 years

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Worst floods in decades kill 29 in Somalia, hit towns across East Africa
1 year, 2 months ago

Worst floods in decades kill 29 in Somalia, hit towns across East Africa

The Hindu  

The worst flooding to hit Somalia in decades has killed 29 people and forced more than 300,000 to flee their homes, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Wednesday, following heavy rains that have inundated towns across East Africa. “People keep on evacuating looking for high ground.” At least 2,400 people have been cut off in Luuq town, where the …

Climate change made storm that devastated Libya far more likely and intense, scientists say
1 year, 3 months ago

Climate change made storm that devastated Libya far more likely and intense, scientists say

Associated Press  

The devastating storm that dumped torrential rains along the Libyan coast this month was up to 50 times more likely to occur and 50% more intense because of human-caused climate change, according to an analysis released Tuesday. Before crossing the Mediterranean, the storm raged for four days and caused extensive damage in central Greece and parts of Bulgaria and Turkey, …

Libya floods made up to 50 times more likely by climate change, study suggests
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya floods made up to 50 times more likely by climate change, study suggests

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, …

Climate change exacerbates deadly floods in Libya and worldwide
1 year, 3 months ago

Climate change exacerbates deadly floods in Libya and worldwide

NPR  

Climate change exacerbates deadly floods in Libya and worldwide Enlarge this image toggle caption Muhammad J. Elalwany/AP Muhammad J. Elalwany/AP Catastrophic floods in eastern Libya killed at least 3,958 people, according to the United Nations. Sponsor Message Human-caused warming made the extreme rainfall in Libya 50 times more likely to happen, according to a rapid analysis done by World Weather …

Cause and Effect | The unjust climate crisis burden on Africa
1 year, 6 months ago

Cause and Effect | The unjust climate crisis burden on Africa

Hindustan Times  

Finland's economy minister Vilhelm Junnila resigned on June 30 over a string of controversial remarks, including one from 2019 when he called on his country to support abortions in Africa as a means to combat the climate crisis. In official parliamentary records, his question reads: "In the underdeveloped societies of Africa, the number of children can be huge, and the …

Climate crisis fuels Rwanda floods, landslides
1 year, 8 months ago

Climate crisis fuels Rwanda floods, landslides

The Hindu  

Published : May 09, 2023 14:58 IST - 4 MINS READ At least 130 people died amid severe flooding and landslides in Rwanda in early May, while thousands were displaced as entire villages were engulfed. “This means the consequences of a warming globe, that includes such as extreme precipitation will continue to escalate.” Flooding impact on agriculture could lead to …

Scientists: Climate change worsened Eastern Africa drought
1 year, 8 months ago

Scientists: Climate change worsened Eastern Africa drought

Associated Press  

MALINDI, Kenya — The ongoing drought in Eastern Africa has been made worse by human-induced climate change, which also made it much likelier to occur in the first place, an international team of climate scientists concluded. “Climate change caused the low rainfall in the region,” Joyce Kimutai, principal meteorologist at the Kenya Meteorological Department said. “Climate change has made the …

2022 was a historic year for climate change reform — and for natural disasters
2 years ago

2022 was a historic year for climate change reform — and for natural disasters

Salon  

It may seem like 2022 was such a slog it felt more like three years instead of one — something about the pandemic has warped time perception — but even so, on geological timescales, it was a blip. Our planet's average temperature has fluctuated many times throughout its 4.5 billion year history, but things are heating up, fast, and humans …

UN: Flooding in west, central Africa displaced 3.4M people
2 years, 2 months ago

UN: Flooding in west, central Africa displaced 3.4M people

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The U.N.'s refugee agency said Friday that destruction from flooding has displaced more than 3.4 million people in west and central Africa. UNHCR said Friday that Nigeria’s worst floods in a decade have killed hundreds, displaced 1.3 million residents and affected over 2.8 million people in the West African nation of 218 million. “The climate crisis is happening …

Flooding in west, central Africa has displaced 3.4 million people, U.N. says
2 years, 2 months ago

Flooding in west, central Africa has displaced 3.4 million people, U.N. says

LA Times  

The U.N.’s refugee agency said Friday that destruction from flooding has displaced more than 3.4 million people in west and central Africa. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Friday that Nigeria’s worst floods in a decade have killed hundreds, displaced 1.3 million residents and affected over 2.8 million people in the West African nation of 218 million. “The climate …

West Africa floods destroy crops, worsening hunger fears
2 years, 2 months ago

West Africa floods destroy crops, worsening hunger fears

Associated Press  

ABUJA, Nigeria — Ocheiga Enoch isn’t expecting much of a rice harvest from north-central Nigeria after floodwaters submerged his fields and those of so many other farmers this season. Above-average rainfall and devastating flooding have affected 5 million people this year in 19 countries across West and Central Africa, according to a new U.N. World Food Program situation report. “This …

Floods hit South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province again
2 years, 7 months ago

Floods hit South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province again

Al Jazeera  

Heavy rains in South Africa have forced hundreds of people to flee their homes on the east coast, according to officials, only a month after the worst floods in living memory killed more than 400. The floods over the weekend hit infrastructure, roads, bridges and damaged buildings, mainly in the port city of Durban, the capital of KwaZulu-Natal province and …

Study: Climate change a major factor in South Africa floods
2 years, 7 months ago

Study: Climate change a major factor in South Africa floods

Associated Press  

MOMBASA, Kenya — The fatal floods that wreaked havoc in South Africa in mid-April this year have been attributed to human-caused climate change, a rapid analysis published Friday by a team of leading international scientists said. The study by the World Weather Attribution group analyzed both historical and emerging sets of weather data relating to the catastrophic rainfall last month, …

Floods in South Africa’s Durban area kill more than 340
2 years, 8 months ago

Floods in South Africa’s Durban area kill more than 340

Associated Press  

JOHANNESBURG — Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 341 people in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, including the city of Durban, and more rainstorms are forecast in the coming days. The damage to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area is estimated at $52 million, eThekwini Mayor Mxolosi Kaunda said Thursday. Police used stun grenades to disperse residents …

South Africa: Floods in Durban area kill at least 341; more rainfall expected
2 years, 8 months ago

South Africa: Floods in Durban area kill at least 341; more rainfall expected

Firstpost  

The damage to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area is estimated at $52 million, eThekwini Mayor Mxolosi Kaunda said Johannesburg: Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 341 people in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, including the city of Durban, and more rainstorms are forecast in the coming days. The damage to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan …

Death toll from South Africa’s Durban floods rises to 341
2 years, 8 months ago

Death toll from South Africa’s Durban floods rises to 341

Al Jazeera  

‘Unprecedented’ floods kill hundreds with dozens missing and feared dead and more than 40,00 people affected by heavy rains. The death toll from South Africa’s “unprecedented” floods climbed to 341 on Thursday as helicopters fanned out across the southeastern city of Durban in an increasingly desperate search for survivors. “We don’t have water, there is no electricity … People from …

Mudslides and flooding kill at least 45 people in South Africa
2 years, 8 months ago

Mudslides and flooding kill at least 45 people in South Africa

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Torrential downpours and flooding have triggered mudslides, killing at least 45 people in South Africa. …

Africa cyclones exacerbated by climate change, study finds
2 years, 8 months ago

Africa cyclones exacerbated by climate change, study finds

LA Times  

A man recovers some belongings after his home in Antananarivo, Madagascar, was destroyed by a tropical storm on Jan. 26. The team of climate scientists released the study Monday and used established peer-reviewed methods, including weather observations and computer simulations, to model scenarios using both preindustrial global temperatures and today’s — which is approximately 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. Study participant …

Study: Africa cyclones exacerbated by climate change
2 years, 8 months ago

Study: Africa cyclones exacerbated by climate change

Associated Press  

MOMBASA, Kenya — Extreme rainfall in southeast Africa has become heavier and more likely to occur during cyclones because of climate change, according to a new analysis released Monday by an international team of weather scientists. The team of climate scientists used established peer-reviewed methods, including weather observations and computer simulations, to model scenarios using both preindustrial global temperatures and …

‘Worst thing in lifetime’: South Sudan floods affecting 700,000
3 years, 2 months ago

‘Worst thing in lifetime’: South Sudan floods affecting 700,000

Al Jazeera  

The United Nations blames South Sudan’s worst floods in 60 years imperilling the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people on climate change. “It is the worst thing that happened in my lifetime.” This is the third straight year of extreme flooding in South Sudan, further imperilling the livelihoods of many of the 11 million people in the world’s youngest …

Climate change made deadly European floods more likely: Study
3 years, 4 months ago

Climate change made deadly European floods more likely: Study

India Today  

Scientists say that global warming makes the kind of extreme rainfall that caused deadly flash flooding in western Europe last month more likely, though it remains unclear exactly how much. A study released Tuesday by the World Weather Attribution group used historical records and computer simulations to examine how temperatures affected rainfall from the late 19th century to the present. …

Study: Climate change makes European flooding more likely
3 years, 4 months ago

Study: Climate change makes European flooding more likely

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Scientists say that global warming makes the kind of extreme rainfall that caused deadly flash flooding in western Europe last month more likely, though it remains unclear exactly how much. A study released Tuesday by the World Weather Attribution group used historical records and computer simulations to examine how temperatures affected rainfall from the late 19th century to …

Climate change increases extreme rainfall, chance of floods: Experts
3 years, 7 months ago

Climate change increases extreme rainfall, chance of floods: Experts

India TV News  

Climate experts at the Newcastle University warn that, without urgent action, climate change will continue to cause an increase in the intensity of extreme rainfall that can lead to severe flooding. They found that in small and in urban catchments in many parts of the world extreme rainfall has increased the chance of floods occurring and their magnitude, severely impacting …

Nearly 500,000 killed by extreme weather disasters in 20 years
3 years, 11 months ago

Nearly 500,000 killed by extreme weather disasters in 20 years

Al Jazeera  

Researchers say rich nations are not doing enough to help developing countries with the deadly fallout from global warming. Almost half a million people have been killed in natural disasters linked to extreme weather events in the last 20 years, with the world’s poorest countries increasingly bearing the brunt of climate change’s wrath. Germanwatch’s Global Climate Index examined the impact …

‘If the climate stays like this, we won’t make it’ say those on the frontline of Africa’s drought
5 years ago

‘If the climate stays like this, we won’t make it’ say those on the frontline of Africa’s drought

CNN  

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe CNN — Torrents of water once thundered over the precipice at Victoria Falls, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, shrouding the area in mist. “Our future is still ahead of us,” said Nkosi Nyathi, a 16-year-old climate activist from Victoria Falls, ahead of his flight to COP25 in Madrid. “The southern African region, in particular, is …

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