Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say - Toronto Star
Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say
FILE - A family uses a canoe after fleeing floodwaters that wreaked havoc in Ombaka Village, Kisumu, Kenya, April 17, 2024. The impact of the calamitous rains that struck East Africa from March to May was intensified by a mix of climate change and rapid growth of urban areas, an international team of climate scientists said in a study. (AP Photo/Brian Ongoro, File)
Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The impact of the calamitous rains that struck East Africa from March to May was intensified by a mix of climate change and rapid growth of urban areas, an international team of climate scientists said in a study published Friday.
FILE - A family uses a canoe after fleeing floodwaters that wreaked havoc in Ombaka Village, Kisumu, Kenya, April 17, 2024. The impact of the calamitous rains that struck East Africa from March to May was intensified by a mix of climate change and rapid growth of urban areas, an international team of climate scientists said in a study. (AP Photo/Brian Ongoro, File)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The impact of the calamitous rains that struck East Africa from March to May was intensified by a mix of climate change and rapid growth of urban areas, an international team of climate scientists said in a study published Friday.
The findings come from World Weather Attribution, a group of scientists that analyzes whether and to what extent human-induced climate change has altered the likelihood and magnitude of extreme weather events.
The downpours caused floods that killed hundreds of people, displaced thousands of others, killed thousands of livestock and destroyed thousands of acres of crops.
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Highly populated urban areas, especially high-density informal settlements, were significantly impacted by the downpours. Torrential rain flooded houses and roads, in some places exposing weaknesses in urban planning to meet the demands of fast-growing populations.
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“There is huge pressure on basic services,” he said giving the example of Nairobi, whose population has doubled over the past 20 years.
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