Climate Change Intensifies Floods in Africa, Leaving Over 100 Dead and 300,000 Displaced
- Southern Africa faced devastating floods after a year’s worth of rain fell in just 10 days
- Researchers said human-caused climate change had intensified the torrential downpours, leaving more than 100 dead and over 300,000 displaced
- The study revealed that the disaster was worsened by La Nina conditions operating in a much warmer atmosphere
Researchers reported that human-caused climate change had worsened the recent torrential rains and floods which devastated parts of southern Africa, killing more than 100 people and displacing over 300,000.
The floods struck South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, leaving widespread destruction of homes, roads and bridges, according to ABC news.
Source: Getty Images
A study by the World Weather Attribution revealed that the region experienced a year’s worth of rain in just 10 days. Scientists said the rare magnitude of the downpours, which typically occur once every 50 years, confirmed a “clear move toward more violent downpours.” The flooding caused millions of dollars in damage to housing and infrastructure and brought untold human suffering.
Many homes in Mozambique were completely submerged, while bridges and roads were swept away in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa and parts of Zimbabwe. The central and southern regions of Mozambique were the worst affected, with the Gaza provincial capital of Xai-Xai and the nearby town of Chokwe largely under water.
Climate change and La Nina effects
The study explained that the floods were worsened by the La Nina weather phenomenon, which naturally brings wetter conditions to southern Africa but was now operating in a much warmer atmosphere. Izidine Pinto, senior climate researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, said:
“Our analysis clearly shows that our continued burning of fossil fuels is not only increasing the intensity of extreme rainfall, but turning events that would have happened anyway into something much more severe.”
Pinto added that while climate models struggled to measure the exact impact, a 40% increase in rainfall intensity could not be explained without human-caused climate change.
“It means what would have already been a serious period of heavy rain has been transformed into a more violent deluge that communities are not equipped to deal with,” he said.
Scientists alarmed by magnitude
Bernardino Nhantumbo, a researcher with Mozambique’s weather service, said the event was unexpected.
“This event was a surprise to us because we have experienced the previous ones 25 years ago, which flooded the same areas,” he explained.
He noted that some places recorded in two to three days the rainfall expected for the entire rainy season.
Nhantumbo highlighted Mozambique’s vulnerability as it lies downstream of nine international rivers. He said:
“We forecast well because we have different models, but these are those events that even with a good forecast you cannot hold the damages that are associated.”
Call for African climate models
Researchers stressed the need for climate models developed in Africa to better understand the impact of climate change across the continent.
Friederike Otto, professor of climate science at Imperial College London, said:
“All climate models that we have that are freely available are developed outside of Africa. They are all developed within climate modelling centres in the U.S., Europe and some in Asia. But there is not a single climate model that is developed in Africa.”
She explained that models are usually designed to best capture the weather in the regions they are made for, which limits their accuracy in Africa.
Source: Getty Images
Climate Change: Expert speaks on Nigeria's preparation
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria has been said not to be fully prepared for its campaign on climate change, particularly the transition to clean energy.
In an exclusive interview with Legit. ng, Rashida Bamgbola, a clean energy consultant, noted that Nigeria has shown commitment but was not well prepared for the change.
Source: Legit.ng
