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Increase in Severity and Frequency of Floods From Major Rivers Worldwide Predicted

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Werribee_River_in_flood_over_cottrell_street_in_WerribeeExperts from leading scientific institutes in Japan and Britain claim that severity of floods on some of the major rivers in south-east Asia, Africa and South America will increase dramatically. The Danube, the Mississippi, and the Euphrates will become drier as the effects of climate change become more pronounced.

The study published in the latest issue of Nature Climate Change is aimed at governmental officials, who should act on increasing the investments towards strengthening of flood barriers and protective measures.

The team of experts looked at 29 river basins. Although they report a large uncertainty range, they claim that the risk of severe flooding is highest in regions around the Yangtze, Mekong and Ganges in Asia, the Niger, the Congo and the Nile in Africa, the Amazon and the Parana in Latin America and the Rhine in Europe.

The research is unique because until now scientists have not been able to predict the behaviour of major individual rivers. As the authors state, such study is possible only if rainfall is monitored strictly and precisely, allowing the establishment of accurate monthly trends.

The authors are convinced that as temperature rises, the flooding events will become more frequent and severe in the future.

The study might come as a surprise to those, who have followed European news updates. Last weekend, the levels of the river Danube hit record numbers in central European countries, forcing evacuation of coastal citizens in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Check Republic, Poland and Hungary.

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