All articles tagged with #floods
Torrential rainfall in southeastern Brazil’s Minas Gerais state caused floods and landslides that killed at least 30 people and left 39 missing, with Juiz de Fora and Ubá among the hardest-hit areas as homes were swept away and rescues continue; a state of emergency was declared, shelters opened, and officials linked the disaster to record February rainfall amid broader climate-change–related extreme weather.
Heavy rains in Minas Gerais caused floods and landslides, killing at least 25 people (mostly in Juiz de Fora and Ubá) with dozens reported missing and thousands displaced; authorities declared a state of calamity and mobilized rescue and humanitarian assistance.
Portugal heads into Sunday’s presidential runoff as storms trigger a state of emergency and widespread evacuations; turnout could decide between far-right candidate André Ventura and moderate left contender António José Seguro, with some municipalities delaying voting but officials insisting the election proceed.
Spain and Portugal brace for Storm Marta after deadly floods from Storm Leonardo killed at least two people and displaced about 11,000; Portugal mobilized more than 26,500 rescuers and postponed three municipalities' presidential vote as warnings of further floods and landslides spread across regions including Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Galicia, Murcia, and the Valencian Community; orange alerts are in place for heavy rain, strong winds up to 110 km/h, and high seas, with authorities warning that already-saturated ground remains vulnerable; Portugal’s PM said damages exceed €4 billion and dams have released water equal to the country’s annual consumption in days.
Storm Marta batters Portugal and Spain with fresh flood warnings, prompting evacuations, road closures, and transport disruption as the Iberian Peninsula continues to recover from consecutive storms.
Morocco has ordered evacuations in flood-prone areas of its northwest as heavy rainfall, swollen rivers and dam releases push water levels higher, with authorities saying more than 108,000 people have been moved and the army and helicopters deployed for rescue.
Morocco evacuated more than 50,000 people from Ksar el-Kebir as weeks of heavy rain caused floods that threatened the city, with authorities opening shelters, barring entry, and deploying the army for evacuation and rescue efforts; the floods were worsened by water releases from a full dam, while nearby regions also evacuated villagers and reinforced riverbanks as drought ends and reservoirs near capacity.
An intense nor’enaster is rapidly intensifying into a bomb cyclone off the Carolinas, bringing blizzard conditions, coastal flooding and a deep cold snap to about 35 million people along the Southeast and Eastern Seaboard, with the worst impacts expected in the Carolinas and southern Mid-Atlantic as frigid air spreads across a wide region and travel disruptions and power outages loom.
A World Weather Attribution study links a climate-change–driven 40% rise in extreme rainfall to floods across southern Africa (Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Eswatini), worsened by La Niña; about 200 people have died and hundreds of thousands are affected as some areas receive more than a year’s worth of rain in days, including Kruger National Park closures and mounting repair costs.
Massive floods across Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa have killed more than 100 people and displaced about 400,000, with crocodiles washed into towns; Mozambique’s floods are among the worst since 2000, farmland and livestock losses mount, cholera and other waterborne diseases threaten camps, and funding for relief and infrastructure repair remains slow.
Heavy rains have triggered floods and landslides across New Zealand's North Island, leaving around 8,000 people without power and prompting evacuations. In Mount Maunganui, a campground landslide left several people missing and rescuers digging through debris, while other incidents include a man swept away in the Mahurangi River and additional missing people in Papamoa; authorities urge avoiding non-essential travel as Fire and Emergency NZ handles hundreds of weather-related calls and the search continues.
The article reports that 2025 saw some of the most costly climate-related disasters, including cyclones, floods, and wildfires, causing over $120 billion in insured losses, with human and economic impacts especially severe in developing countries. Experts attribute the increasing frequency and severity of these events to human-made climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for global action to reduce fossil fuel use and support vulnerable nations. Despite commitments at COP30 to increase climate finance, the funding remains insufficient to meet the growing needs for adaptation and disaster mitigation.
In 2025, climate change significantly impacted the world through intensified wildfires in California and South Korea, record-breaking heat waves in England, devastating floods in Texas, supercharged hurricanes in the Caribbean, and severe droughts in the Middle East, demonstrating its pervasive influence on global weather events.
A strong storm system continues to pose risks of flooding, high surf, and avalanches in California, with ongoing dangers in Wrightwood, Los Angeles, and the Sierra Nevada, despite easing conditions, prompting emergency responses and evacuations.
Residents in Aceh, Indonesia, are raising white flags as a distress signal due to the slow response to devastating floods caused by a cyclone, with the government refusing foreign aid and critics accusing it of being disorganized and out of touch, despite the severe impact and calls for international support.