Brazil – Floods in Rio De Janeiro After 67mm of Rain in 1 Hour
Storms and flash flooding struck the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region in Brazil on 08 February 2023. Two people died in the storm, while dozens were rescued from flood waters.…
Americas
Floods and flooding in North and South America
Bolivia – Floods Affect Thousands in La Paz, Beni and Santa Cruz Departments
Over 5,500 families have been affected by flooding across La Paz, Beni and Santa Cruz Departments in Bolivia over the last few days. Two fatalities were reported, and dozens of…
Glacial Lake Outburst Floods Threaten 15 Million People Globally, New Study Reveals
A new study by an international team of scientists reveals that 15 million people around the world are at risk from flooding caused by glacial lakes, with around half of…
Peru – Heavy Rainfall Triggers Deadly Mudslides and Floods in Arequipa Department
Mudslides and floods have caused devastation in parts of the Arequipa Department in Peru following heavy rainfall. Several districts in the Lima Department have also seen damaging mudslides in the…
USA – Moody’s RMS Estimates US$5-7 Billion in Total Economic Losses From California Floods
Total US economic losses from the flooding in California in January 2023 could reach US$5-7 billion, according to Moody’s RMS®, the global catastrophe risk modelling and solutions company. Moody’s RMS also…
Mexico – Floods in Tabasco Leave Communities Isolated
Heavy rain caused flooding and damage in parts of Tabasco State, Mexico, on 04 February 2023. Floods destroyed a bridge which has left two communities isolated. The state’s Civil Protection…
Chile – Floods in North as Wildfires Blaze in Southern Regions
Dozens of families were left isolated after flash floods cut roads in El Loa Province in the region of Antofagasta, northern Chile, on 04 February 2023. The local government reported…
Rising Flood Risk in Las Vegas: Study Reveals Interaction of Climate Change and Urban Development
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, with its rapid urbanization and desert landscape, is highly vulnerable to flooding. For this reason, flood managers have built an extensive system of drainage ditches and…
How Flood Forecasting in Real Time, With Block-by-Block Data, Could Save Lives
If people had known the likelihood of flooding in locations in real-time, with block-by-block data, it’s possible many flood-related fatalities could have been avoided, writes Valeriy Ivanov, University of Michigan,…
Brazil – 3 Dead, 2 Missing in Floods and Landslides in Santa Catarina
Stormy weather over the last 2 days has caused fatalities and material damages in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The state government said 26 municipalities have reported…
USA – California Floods Present a Good Test for the Private Flood Insurance Market
The catastrophic flooding in California from late December 2022 to January 2023 resent a good test for the private flood insurance market, according to credit rating agency AM Best. Private…
Colombia – Deadly Flash Floods in Medellín, Antioquia
Government officials in Medellín, capital of Antioquia Department in Colombia, report at least 2 people have died after stormy weather and flash floods struck the city on 14 January 2023.…
USA – Cascading Climate Disaster: Atmospheric Rivers, Wildfire Burn Scars and Mudslides in California
Atmospheric rivers over California’s wildfire burn scars raise fears of deadly mudslides – this is what cascading climate disasters look like, writes Amir AghaKouchak, University of California, Irvine for The Conversation.…
Colombia – Massive Landslide Destroys Homes, Cuts Major Road in Cauca
Long-term heavy rainfall caused a massive landslide in the department of Cauca, southwestern Colombia, on 09 January 2023. Homes were destroyed and hundreds of victims were displaced. The landslide occurred…
USA – Rescues and Evacuations in California After Atmospheric River Triggers More Floods
A powerful atmospheric river intensified over California, USA, on 09 January 2023 bringing yet more heavy rain which has triggered flooding and mudslides. The most recent storm is just one…
USA – How California Could Capture Rain to Ease Floods and Future Droughts
California could save up its rain to ease future droughts, instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific, writes Andrew Fisher, University of California, Santa Cruz, for The Conversation.…
