The northern regions of Italy, especially Emilia Romagna, have been devastated by deadly floods. The Magnitude of the floods is expected to escalate due to the rapid inflow of water, causing significant runoff. The floods have also led to the collapse of more than 20 river banks, which resulted in 280 more landslides in the region. According to Pierluigi Randi, the president of Ampro, this event marks the most severe flood Italy has experienced in a century.

The incoming flood followed closely the earlier floods in May that claimed two lives in Emilia-Romagna and certain areas of Marche. To put the scale of this disaster into perspective, an astonishing amount of rainfall, equivalent to what typically occurs over a span of six months, has devastated the region in just a mere two weeks.

Officials have stated that we need to get ready since the climate is in danger. The floods are a recent addition to Italy’s recent string of catastrophic weather disasters. The extraordinary catastrophe is now a part of Italy. Emilia-Romagna and other northern regions were plagued by a drought that dried up the ground before floods in Italy occurred. The ability to absorb water has decreased as a result of the severe drought.

In Italy, 2022 was the warmest year on record. Almost 310 extreme weather occurrences were recorded, resulting in the deaths of 29 individuals. Thirteen people were murdered in floods in Marche last September, and 12 people perished in a landslip on the island of Ischia in late November, including numerous children.

Due to human-induced climate change, experts have warned that such catastrophes are increasingly becoming the norm. This week’s weather system was confined between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains. In just 36 hours, it has dropped half the typical yearly amount of rain.

The Link Between Climate Change and Flood

It is not as easy as connecting the links between climate change and flooding. Due to the scarcity of historical data, it is difficult to establish a definite correlation between climate change and drought. Some aspects, however, may be more important than others depending on the type of flood. Precipitation, snowmelt, terrain, and soil moisture are the primary contributors to flood formation.

Floods are becoming increasingly often as a result of the more intense weather patterns produced by long-term global climate change. Extreme floods can be caused by strong precipitation, extended length of precipitation, near repeat of precipitation, or a combination of these factors. Climate change has definitely increased the frequency of heavy precipitation events, but there has been no comparable rise in flood incidents. Scientists predict that at the present rate of greenhouse gas emissions, more of these types of floods will occur.

Also Read: Global Wetland Loss