Rising Waters: The Global Flood Challenge of 2024

The year 2024 saw floods affecting over 45 countries, causing significant loss of life, displacement, and economic damage. Climate change amplified these extreme weather events, and scientists confirm increased rainfall likelihood. Adaptation measures are critical as global CO2 emissions contribute to more frequent severe weather.

In 2024, floods seemed to be an omnipresent force on the planet, striking coastal homes with rising seas, swamping urban areas with torrential rains, and overpowering rivers with rapid snowmelt.

Reuters photographers documented the devastation in over 45 countries, where these floods claimed over 1,000 lives and displaced millions, causing hundreds of billions in damages. As residents evacuated by any means possible and rescued pets, scientists rapidly analyzed the influence of climate change on these severe weather events.

Fifteen out of sixteen analyses on extreme rainfall in 2024 showed climate change's role in intensifying precipitation. With the planet warming and CO2 emissions at an all-time high, global efforts to adapt to these new climate realities are becoming increasingly urgent.

(With inputs from agencies.)