Record-Breaking Floods in Western Europe: A climate crisis warning
In parts of Western Europe, rainfall that would normally be expected throughout the entire month of July fell within just 24 hours, leading to severe flooding across cities in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
In Cologne, twice the average July rainfall was recorded, a level unseen in over 100 years.
More than 120 people have died in Germany and Belgium following this extreme weather event, which German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze has attributed to the impacts of climate change.
Over 1,000 people are still missing in Germany and Belgium, and more than 30,000 are without electricity after floodwaters damaged power plants and distribution systems.
Authorities have ordered evacuations from areas hit hardest by the rainfall, though meteorologists say evacuees may be able to return home after Sunday, as forecasts predict a decrease in rain.
Such heavy downpours are highly unusual for July in Western Europe, a region typically warmer than the East. However, rising CO2 levels have intensified evaporation, filling the atmosphere with more moisture than usual, which then falls as extreme rainfall. Without action, these severe weather events are expected to become more frequent in the coming years.
