Heavy rainfall in southwestern Japan has caused devastating flooding and mudslides that have left at least six people dead, five missing and 19 injured, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency on Tuesday.
A warmer atmosphere is able to store more water, leading to more intense rainfall when it falls.
As the planet warms, the expectation is that we will see “more and more intense, more frequent, more severe rainfall events, leading also to more severe flooding,” said Stefan Uhlenbrook, director of hydrology, water and cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organization.
It’s not possible to say exactly when and where extreme rainfall events will happen, Uhlenbrook told CNN. But what is clear is that the vulnerability of societies will be different – with poorer countries often more exposed, he added.
This sounds accurate.
It’s going to be a wild summer.