Articles tagged with Floods
Climate change is shifting snowfall to rainfall on mountains across the Northern Hemisphere, increasing the risk of floods, landslides, and soil erosion. The study found that for every 1 degree Celsius increase in global temperature, high elevations can expect an average of 15% more rain.
The UK is investing £11 million to improve forecast accuracy for extreme weather events like storms, floods and droughts. Scientists are focusing on atmospheric turbulence to create more detailed models.
A Brazilian study combined urban expansion and land-use changes with hydrodynamic models to identify flood-prone areas of cities. The methodology, validated using actual data for São Caetano do Sul, can be used by other cities to devise public policies and make decisions to address flooding impacts.
Researchers analyzed mobile phone signaling records to understand how people moved in response to the 2021 Zhengzhou flood. The study found that female, adolescent, and older adults were more vulnerable to flooding due to lower mobility resilience. It also identified four abnormal patterns of human mobility, which accounted for 50% of ...
A new Stanford-led study quantifies the value of Belize's coastal mangrove forests in terms of carbon storage, tourism, and fisheries benefits. The findings suggest that relatively small amounts of mangrove restoration can have big economic benefits, while also providing protection against coastal storms and other risks.
A new Dartmouth study projects a 52% increase in extreme precipitation events in the Northeast by the end of the century. The region is expected to experience more frequent heavy rainfall events, with winter and spring contributing most to this projected increase.
A recent study by Dartmouth researchers finds that global economic losses from El Niño can persist for several years after the event, with a significant impact on the world's poorest nations. The study projects total losses of $84 trillion for the 21st century, highlighting the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Researchers found that commercial properties in New York and Boston traded at lower values after Hurricane Sandy, despite no direct damage. This shift in perception is likely due to professional investors responding to changing flood risk perceptions post-Sandy.
A team of scientists, including a University of Central Florida researcher, is developing oyster-based shoreline protection for U.S. coastlines. The project aims to create self-repairing reef-mimicking structures to mitigate coastal flooding and erosion.
A UMass Amherst study found that changing patterns of land use lead to increased runoff and decreased forested areas, resulting in higher stream flow and increased phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. The research warns of impending water quality issues if urban planning does not implement sustainable land-use measures.
Physicians are urging primary care teams to use data-driven approaches to prevent and mitigate climate-related health issues, dubbed "precision ecologic medicine". This approach combines patient-specific data with climate-related information to predict and support vulnerable patients.
Salt marshes reduce wave run-up on dikes, but their impact is dependent on foreshore elevation and marsh width. In some locations, marshes are absent where mud flats are low-lying, highlighting the need for human interventions or hard engineering solutions to enhance protection.
Scientists have used sub-surface imaging and aerial surveys to uncover the Red Lily Lagoon area in West Arnhem Land, revealing significant implications for understanding the First Australians. The study provides a new way to understand the rock art in the region, which is recognized globally for its significance and distinctive style.
A study published in Scientific Reports warns that sea level rises could lead to the flooding of sea turtle breeding grounds in Australia, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and the USA. The findings suggest that flooding could contribute to the loss of turtle nesting sites and negatively impact turtle populations.
A study published in Nature Sustainability found that countries with wide income gaps have significantly higher mortality rates during large-scale flood disasters. The researchers analyzed data from over 500 major floods and found a median mortality rate of 26 times higher in countries with an unequal distribution of income.
A new Dartmouth study examines how changes in precipitation and temperature due to global warming affect streamflow and flooding in the Northeast. The research finds that a warmer climate will lead to increased streamflow and higher flood risk, particularly if soils become wetter and more prone to heavy rainfall events.
A UFZ study shows that better communication and information can increase public support for nature-based flood prevention measures. People who feel connected to their community or informed about the measures are more likely to support them.
A study in Nature Communications Earth and Environment shows progress in Australia's nature-based rehabilitation efforts for sustainable environmental restoration. The research highlights the importance of adopting UN environmental goals as principles in river management to conserve river health and improve resilience.
A team led by Virginia Tech's Manoochehr Shirzaei has developed high-resolution digital maps to monitor land subsidence and sea-level rise, revealing vulnerable areas along the Atlantic East Coast. The data supports flood risk management and informs climate change projections, helping to refine models for hurricanes and storms.
Storm geysers can cause significant flooding, damage, and injury due to poor city planning and inadequate drainage systems. A new computational model suggests increasing pipeline diameter and improving system design as effective preventive measures.
A new study reconstructs the history of floods in KZN since 1840s, confirming that the April 2022 floods were likely the most catastrophic natural disaster ever recorded. The floods had a significant impact on lives lost, homes and infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and economic loss.
A study by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that climate change-related natural disasters have increased since 1980 and cost the US over $2 trillion in recovery costs. The analysis suggests that rising CO2 levels and temperatures will lead to more frequent and severe disasters, with exponentially increasing costs.
Researchers found that low-impact development practices, such as permeable pavement and bioretention cells, are effective in reducing flood risk in residential areas. Detention basins are also a viable option for areas with high impervious surfaces.
A new study published by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill estimates $562 million in previously unquantified financial risks arising from property value changes and uninsured flood damages in eastern North Carolina. The research team developed a new modeling framework using data on homes sales, mortgage loa...
A new Cornell University study finds that non-white homeowners are more likely to invest in costly flood protection measures than white homeowners. Homeowners with mortgages and those who own their homes outright take the fewest high-cost actions, while renters tend to take none at all.
Researchers developed a SMART approach to engage with communities in developing real-time early warning systems for floods, combining meteorological data with social factors. This approach aims to improve protection for vulnerable people and properties, particularly in mountainous regions.
A recent study found that malaria control programs in Amazonian Peru reduced the disease by 78% but saw a rebound when funding was cut, driven by climate change. Climate change has exacerbated malaria transmission, with rising temperatures and intense rainfalls contributing to the resurgence of the mosquito-borne disease.
A new NASA-led study confirms that major droughts and pluvials have been occurring more often due to climate change. The global total intensity of extreme events increased from 2002 to 2021, mirroring Earth's rising temperatures. This has significant economic and human impacts, especially in poor neighborhoods and developing nations.
A new study introduces a scale to measure atmospheric river intensity, enabling the identification of hotspots for the most intense events worldwide. The scale helps communities prepare for both beneficial and destructive effects of these storms, with AR-5 events occurring only once every two to three years.
A pioneering study finds that flood risks in the UK can be kept below a 5% increase by 2050 if all countries meet their carbon emission pledges. The research reveals dramatic regional variations in flood hazards, with areas like South East England and London facing significant increases in damage.
Researchers will collect data on flood risk and septic health to identify areas most at risk of failure due to climate change. The team aims to provide data-driven solutions for equitable climate adaptation measures.
Research from Princeton University's engineering school finds that climate change is making sequential damaging hurricanes more likely, with areas like the Gulf Coast facing double hits as frequently as once every 3 years. Rising sea levels and increased precipitation are driving this trend.
Researchers argue that polders are an important part of China's water heritage, reflecting the country's long history of water management. Over 2,500 years, polders have evolved in response to changing societal needs, adapting to agricultural modernisation and urban encroachment.
A new study finds that flood zone property prices are overvalued by $121–$237 billion, with low-income households losing up to 10% of their market value. The study warns of a real estate bubble threatening the US housing market's stability.
Researchers analyzed two US Army Corps of Engineers flood megaprojects in Rhode Island that emerged simultaneously after hurricane activity around the 1950s. The study found that strong public support and political backing were crucial factors in advancing one project, while the other failed to gain momentum due to environmental concer...
The new automated method, called HybridFlow, uses large-scale aerial images to produce precise 3D models of cityscapes and landscapes. This technology has potential applications in natural disaster risk assessment and mitigation, enabling informed decision-making and evaluation of risk-mitigating factors.
A global assessment identifies areas most vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, highlighting the need for targeted risk management actions. The study reveals 9.3 million people in High Mountain Asia are at highest risk, with India and Pakistan accounting for nearly half of the global total.
A new study from the University of North Carolina found that over ten new residences have been built in NC's 100-year floodplains for every residence removed through government buyouts. This trend contributes to increasing risk, despite community and government efforts to reduce flood damage.
A new study predicts devastating socioeconomic impacts of future extreme coastal flooding on developing nations caused by climate change. Without adaptation measures, the number of people affected could increase from 34 million in 2015 to 246 million by 2100, with expected annual damage costing over five percent of national GDP.
A Penn State-led study found that the timing of disruptions is more damaging to invertebrates than severity. Aquatic organisms in Sycamore Creek responded to winter floods and summer monsoon events differently, with some populations being resistant or resilient to disturbances.
A study using tree rings reveals a 400-year trend of increasing droughts and floods in the Kabul River Basin, with severe events becoming more frequent. The research suggests that climate change is intensifying hydrological cycles, leading to devastating consequences for natural resources management.
A new study finds that many US coastal communities rely on low estimates of sea level rise, omitting high-end scenarios that could result in costly and dangerous underestimates. The study's authors hope to identify and address gaps in how communities use the most recent assessments of sea level rise in their policy decisions.
A new study using high-resolution land elevation data finds the biggest increases in inundation will occur after the first 2 meters of sea level rise, covering more than twice as much land as older elevation models predicted. Coastal communities have less time to prepare for sea level rise than expected.
Pakistan's health challenges have been compounded by natural disasters, including the 2022 floods, which affected over 33 million people. The country is experiencing a slowdown in reducing maternal and child mortality, high fertility rates, and persistent gender disparities.
Researchers from DRI and partners find that urbanization and climate change are changing the timing and intensity of flood risk in Las Vegas. Flood intensity has increased since the mid-20th century, with an abrupt shift occurring in the mid-1990s.
A long-term study of forest landslides in the Pacific Northwest reveals that management history has a greater impact on landslide frequency and severity than rainfall. The research, led by Oregon State University, found that decades of road building and logging practices affected flooding, landslides, and erosion patterns.
Australian scientists developed virtual models to reveal a crucial link between natural flooding and the extinction risk of endangered southern bell frogs. The study found that modern river regulation dramatically increases extinction risk in smaller wetlands.
A recent study found that reversed flow over the Tibetan Plateau led to extreme climate events in subtropical Asia in 2022. Strong descending motion on the eastern side of TP caused persistent heat waves, while strong ascending motion on the western side caused excessive rainfall and flooding.
Researchers found that global wave models can vary in their estimates of extreme wave heights by up to 20 feet, which can lead to underprotected areas during extreme events. The study emphasizes the need for considering multiple models and modern observational data to better assess offshore and coastal risks.
The UCF-developed battery uses saltwater as an electrolyte, eliminating volatile solvents and overcoming limitations of previous aqueous batteries. The novel design allows for fast charging in just three minutes and increased stability, making it a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries.
A team of researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and other institutions has identified a flexible and user-friendly model for predicting flood frequency in a changing environment. The fractional polynomial-based regression method is more effective than existing models, which often fail to account for factors like climate ...
A new study reveals that changing ocean circulation strengthens precipitation patterns in the Indian Ocean, leading to more intense flood events and droughts. The research suggests a mutual amplification of these effects due to global warming and weakened ocean circulation.
A study by Brown researchers reveals how climate change can impact the Indian Ocean dipole, leading to extreme weather events like megadroughts in East Africa and flooding in Indonesia. The analysis compares long-term climate data with simulations from an advanced climate model.
A new study finds that Florida neighborhoods affected by hurricanes experience gentrification, with average income of new buyers increasing while long-term demand stays stable. Weaker income households struggle to access affordable housing options after the storms.
Researchers are conducting on-site surveys and generating high-resolution damage maps for 20-square-mile region affected by the Category 4 storm. The goal is to inform protection efforts and help communities recover from the disaster.
Jamie Padgett, a Rice University professor, has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation's BRITE Fellows program. With this funding, she will develop methods for infrastructure resilience modeling in response to uncertain, evolving conditions resulting from earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters.
Scientists analyze past El Niño events to better understand climate patterns over the past 12,000 years. They found that Eastern Pacific events have increased in frequency, while Central Pacific and Coastal events have decreased, resulting in changes in hydroclimate in the tropical Pacific.
A new coupled computer modeling approach can accurately predict compound flooding events, such as the one caused by Hurricane Florence in 2018. This technique combines ocean and river models to better capture the interactions between storm surges and rain-induced flooding.
A study by Hokkaido University reveals that the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has caused more frequent heavy rainfall in the Mekong Delta, resulting in increased flooding risk. The findings suggest that better weather predictions and preparation can help mitigate the negative effects of floods and droughts in the region.
A new study found that 39 out of 43 California's coastal airports have assets exposed to projected flooding by 2100. Sixteen airports have assets within their boundaries, while 23 have assets outside their jurisdiction at risk from flooding. The study highlights the need for collaborative climate adaptation plans to address this issue.