Last month's devastating flooding in South Africa left at least 448 dead, more than 40,000 displaced, and destroyed thousands of homes. A new analysis released Friday shows that climate change has made the devastation even more devastating.
In mid-April, torrential rains poured down on South Africa. This caused massive flooding in the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. The president of the nation called it "a catastrophe that has enormous proportions." Many people lost loved ones while sleeping in the middle of the night. One man claimed that he lost 10 relatives who were asleep at home when the flooding struck. Another woman shared the story of how her daughters, aged 11 and 17, were swept away while they slept in their shack.
Nearly 400 people were killed in flash floods this week in South Africa's Kwazulu–Natal province. This includes Bonakele Mtshali and her two daughters, Bonakele Mtshali, aged 11 and 17. Mtshali claimed that her daughters were asleep when floods destroyed their home. https://t.co/RtFaMV5fz2 pic.twitter.com/Q0csOyFSce
From April 11-12, the region received nearly 14 inches of rain. This amount was described by scientists at the World Weather Attribution global initiative as "extremely high" in a two-day period.
According to scientists, global warming makes the event more likely. Although their findings are not yet peer-reviewed by the scientific community, the group uses peer-reviewed methods for conducting its research.
Scientists concluded that aerosol and greenhouse gas emissions were responsible for the observed rises. "... Human-induced climate change has nearly doubled the likelihood of an event like the one that caused this catastrophe.
Lead author of the analysis was climate analyst Izidine Pinto. He stated that adaptation is crucial for avoiding the worst effects of future disasters.
Pinto stated, "We must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emission and adapt to a reality where floods or heatwaves can be more severe and damaging."
These risks have been known for many years by scientists. The latest analysis is a stark reminder of how harmful fossil fuels and greenhouse gases are to humanity's survival. Emissions form a dense layer of the atmosphere that traps heat and causes global average temperatures increase.
As the oceans heat up, water evaporates faster, causing heavier rain, stronger storms, and flooding.
Scientists concluded that climate change has increased the risk of extreme rainfall events like those in South Africa last month. Their analysis showed that an event such as this could occur about once in 40 years if the world were 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than it is now. This is roughly the average temperature before industrialization. It'll only happen once every 20 years in our climate today. As a result, rainfall is expected to increase by 4% to 88%.
Similar to what happened in South Africa's case, extreme weather events can be devastating for areas that aren't adequately prepared. Scientists pointed out that there are many challenges in governance, an older infrastructure, and a poor warning system. These challenges can be seen around the globe.
The report states that cities should continue to develop in a way that places the most vulnerable and marginalised residents in high-risk flood areas. They will be the most affected by disasters. Although the rainfall was severe, it is not unusual for this type of event and will likely occur again with greater intensity.
Reporting was contributed by The Associated Press.
