Warning signs
'The floods are a foretaste of things to come.'
Several countries are reeling under the devastating impact of floods. Relentless rain and floods have left large swathes of Brazil, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Australia looking more like part of the sea rather than land.
Several towns in south-eastern Brazil have been engulfed in mudslides resulting in the death of over 500 people. It has been described as the worst natural disaster ever in Brazil. Meanwhile, in Australia, floods continue to cause havoc. The worst appears to be over for Queensland, where flood waters are beginning to recede. However, relief workers say that it will take months for life in towns to return to normal. Tens of thousands of homes have been swamped by m&d and a clean-up is expected to take several months.
Floodwaters are now moving southwards, which means that the coming week will see New South Wales reeling under floods. As for Sri Lanka, this country which was only just beginning to recover from the impact of the 2004 tsunami is now being battered by rains and floods.
Over 325,000 people have been displaced. While flood waters are beginning to recede here, rescue workers are unable to cope with entire villages marooned. Millions are struggling without food or water. Paddy fields have been destroyed. This could manifest in food shortages in the coming months.
Is there a link between these floods? Climate experts say that the floods in Brazil and Australia are the outcome of La Nina, a weather pattern where the cooling of the tropical seas in the Pacific brings enormous rain. This La Nina was reportedly the strongest ever in decades.
Several scientists have described the floods as an example of the extreme weather events that will become more frequent as climate change takes grip.
The past decade experienced nine of the ten warmest years on record. Warm temperatures mean more moisture in the air, which can fall as torrential rain, blizzards, etc. The extremely cold winter in Europe and the floods in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Australia are warning signs, say scientists, a small foretaste of what lies ahead if we do not act to stop global warming and climate change.
The impact of even weather patterns like El Nino and La Nina will be much magnified with climate change, which means we can expect hotter summers, and more frequent and intense floods in the coming years.
'The floods are a foretaste of things to come.'
Several countries are reeling under the devastating impact of floods. Relentless rain and floods have left large swathes of Brazil, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Australia looking more like part of the sea rather than land.
Several towns in south-eastern Brazil have been engulfed in mudslides resulting in the death of over 500 people. It has been described as the worst natural disaster ever in Brazil. Meanwhile, in Australia, floods continue to cause havoc. The worst appears to be over for Queensland, where flood waters are beginning to recede. However, relief workers say that it will take months for life in towns to return to normal. Tens of thousands of homes have been swamped by m&d and a clean-up is expected to take several months.
Floodwaters are now moving southwards, which means that the coming week will see New South Wales reeling under floods. As for Sri Lanka, this country which was only just beginning to recover from the impact of the 2004 tsunami is now being battered by rains and floods.
Over 325,000 people have been displaced. While flood waters are beginning to recede here, rescue workers are unable to cope with entire villages marooned. Millions are struggling without food or water. Paddy fields have been destroyed. This could manifest in food shortages in the coming months.
Is there a link between these floods? Climate experts say that the floods in Brazil and Australia are the outcome of La Nina, a weather pattern where the cooling of the tropical seas in the Pacific brings enormous rain. This La Nina was reportedly the strongest ever in decades.
Several scientists have described the floods as an example of the extreme weather events that will become more frequent as climate change takes grip.
The past decade experienced nine of the ten warmest years on record. Warm temperatures mean more moisture in the air, which can fall as torrential rain, blizzards, etc. The extremely cold winter in Europe and the floods in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Australia are warning signs, say scientists, a small foretaste of what lies ahead if we do not act to stop global warming and climate change.
The impact of even weather patterns like El Nino and La Nina will be much magnified with climate change, which means we can expect hotter summers, and more frequent and intense floods in the coming years.
