Climate Change Doubled Likelihood Of Central Europe Flooding

Firefighters walk through a flooded road of Jesenik, Czech Republic, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

A recent flash study has revealed that human-caused climate change played a significant role in the heavy rains that triggered devastating flooding across Central Europe earlier this month. The study found that the heavy rainfall, resulting from Storm Boris, affected several countries including Romania, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Germany, leading to widespread damage and claiming the lives of 24 individuals.

The research conducted by World Weather Attribution, a group of scientists specializing in rapid climate attribution studies, indicated that the severe rainfall was the heaviest ever recorded in Central Europe. The study also highlighted that climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, made the heavy rains twice as likely and intensified them by 7% to 20%.

The lead author of the study emphasized the devastating impact of fossil fuel-driven warming on extreme weather events. The analysis compared weather data and climate models to demonstrate the influence of human-induced climate change on the severity of the recent flooding.

While the death toll from the recent floods was lower compared to previous catastrophic events in the region, the damage to infrastructure and the need for significant repairs remain a pressing concern. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen has pledged financial aid to support countries affected by the floods.

24 individuals lost their lives due to the recent flooding.

Storm Boris triggered heavy rainfall across multiple Central European countries.

World Weather Attribution study found the rainfall to be the heaviest on record.

Fossil fuel-driven climate change made heavy rains twice as likely.

Climate change intensified the recent flooding by 7% to 20%.

EU chief pledged financial aid for flood-affected countries.

Further global warming increases the likelihood of intense storms.

Heavy rainfall attributed to a weather phenomenon called 'Vb depression.'

The study also warned that with further global warming, the likelihood of intense storms like the recent ones would increase significantly. The research attributed the heavy rainfall to a weather phenomenon known as a 'Vb depression,' which forms when cold polar air meets warm air from Southern Europe over the Alps.

The World Weather Attribution group was established to address the delay in determining the role of climate change in extreme weather events. By using real-world weather observations and computer modeling, studies like this aim to assess the impact of global warming on the intensity and frequency of such events.

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