All articles tagged with #floods
Heavy rains and a dam breach in Guangxi, China, triggered floods that flooded Hengzhou and allowed hundreds of venomous snakes from a breeding farm to escape into the town. Emergency crews are conducting searches as residents are warned to stay cautious and prepared for encounters; at least one person has been bitten, while the broader disaster tied to Tropical Storm Maysak has left dozens dead and thousands stranded in the region.
Typhoon Maysak-triggered floods in Hengzhou, Guangxi have killed 39 people and released around 900 snakes and other animals into flooded streets, with a zoo and snake farms affected; authorities warn residents, deploy snake catchers, stock antivenom, and hospitals brace for potential snakebite cases as rescue efforts continue.
Federal forecasters say a strong El Niño is virtually certain to develop this year, with a 97% chance of a strong or very strong event by December and an 81% likelihood it’ll be very strong. For California, that means a higher chance of above‑average winter rainfall in Southern California and increased risks of flash floods and landslides, along with a greater potential for heat waves and a persistent marine heat wave as oceans continue to warm.
Southern China faced at least 39 deaths after Tropical Storm Maysak dumped extreme rainfall, breaching reservoirs and triggering a partial dam collapse in Hengzhou. Nine people remained missing in Guangxi as authorities evacuated about 130,000 residents and rescued thousands of students and teachers from schools. Rescue teams used drones and boats amid ongoing efforts to reach people, while wildlife and animals were displaced and snakes were reported loose, prompting antivenom stockpiles ahead of more rain from Typhoon Bavi.
Typhoon Maysak battered southern China with rapid floods, dam breaches and even rare tornadoes in Hubei, leaving dozens dead, thousands displaced and tens of thousands evacuated as authorities pressed for rescue and relief operations amid ongoing damage.
Typhoon Maysak killed two in Nanning, Guangxi, and unleashed heavy rains that flooded reservoirs and forced about 48,000 of 55,000 affected residents to evacuate; floods swamped roads in Guigang and Fangchenggang as authorities raised the flood-control alert to the highest level and warned more rain could hinder rescue efforts, with Bavi expected to bring stronger winds and rainfall to eastern China. Separate heavy rains in northern China caused additional fatalities.
Massive August 2025 floods in Pakistan displaced about 3 million people and damaged hundreds of thousands of homes, disrupting access to antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV and risking viral rebound and progression to AIDS; stigma, broken follow-up, and reports of unsafe medical practices have worsened the crisis, while NGOs and the NDMA coordinate emergency ART delivery, though thousands remain missing and ground relief coverage is uncertain.
Widespread rainfall across Kentucky has left four people dead (three in Madison County and one in Jackson County) and prompted Gov. Beshear to declare a state of emergency as search-and-rescue teams work to reach stranded residents. Six to seven inches of rain fell in some areas, with more forecast, leading five counties to declare local emergencies and emergency crews from state police and swift-water rescue teams to respond. Drone footage shows significant flooding and damage in Richmond, including a reported church collapse, while precautionary evacuations and road closures persist as rescuers race to reach those in danger.
Two major storms, Mekkhala and Higos, pummeled western and central Japan with heavy rain, causing floods and landslides, damaging roads and disrupting rail and air travel; at least one person died and several were injured as homes flooded across Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and surrounding areas.
Thunderstorms and heavy overnight rain flooded parts of London, triggering two lightning-caused house fires and widespread travel disruption as Heathrow terminals faced flooding and key lines (the Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express) operated with delays or reduced services. The London Fire Brigade logged roughly 400 calls and warned drivers to avoid floodwater, with affected areas including Twickenham, Richmond and Balham, ahead of a forewarned, record-approaching heat spell and a rare red heat alert around 40C for England.
In a West London flood-prone area, beavers were reintroduced to Paradise Fields to create wetlands that act as a natural sponge, reducing flood risk as climate-fueled storms intensify. Five wild beavers were released in 2023 and the site now hosts eight beavers with a new litter, with no local flooding in the target area for a second winter—an early sign of success. The project showcases a nature-based solution to climate resilience, but experts warn beaver rewilding must be carefully planned to avoid conflicts with farmers, infrastructure, and other local dynamics.
Arthur’s remnants—though downgraded from a tropical storm—bring heavy rain (6–9 inches so far) and a growing flood threat from Texas through eastern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with NOAA warning of life‑threatening flash floods and possible tornadoes as the system moves inland and more downpours could follow.
UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Report warns that about 50% of the world’s children live with at least three overlapping climate hazards—such as heatwaves, droughts, floods and storms—putting health, education and safety at risk. More than a billion children face multiple threats, with the Sahel region and places like Italy highlighted for severe exposure; the agency urges action to strengthen health, education and infrastructure and to cut emissions so communities can better adapt and protect children’s futures.
A waterlogged tropical disturbance near Texas has a 60% chance of developing into a tropical storm and could dump heavy rain from eastern Texas to the Carolinas. Flood watches are in effect from Texas to Mississippi as severe thunderstorms move along the Gulf Coast; forecasters warn copious moisture could drench a wide area from Houston to Atlanta and into Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama with significant impacts possible depending on storm development.
As a developing El Niño nears, scientists warn that releasing ocean heat will mix with ongoing human-caused warming to heighten heatwaves, droughts, floods, and wildfires globally, potentially producing unprecedented extremes even as long-term warming remains the primary driver of dangerous climate conditions.