The economic consequences of the ten most extreme weather phenomena worldwide exceeded 100 billion dollars.
Hurricanes Florence and Michael, category four on a scale of five, which affected this year especially the United States, caused damage estimated at 17,000 million dollars (14,899 million euros) and 15,000 million dollars (13,146 million euros), respectively, according to a study by the Christian Aid organization published on Thursday.
The report “Counting the Cost: a year of climate breakdown”, from the Christian Aid organization, analyses the ten most destructive droughts, floods, fires, heat waves, typhoons and hurricanes the last 12 months.
Drought in Argentina
From the end of 2017 to April 2018, it was the worst drought in 50 years. Soybean harvest fell 31% and corn harvest 20%
Drought in Cabo, South Africa
It was the worst drought in the history of Cape Town, which had to establish severe restrictions on the use of water to avoid the almost total cut of the supply
Drought in Australia
The drought in eastern Australia, a phenomenon on the rise since 2012, was particularly strong this year, with temperatures higher than the historical average. The harvest was very low and animals were sacrificed because of the high cost of food
Summer in the northern hemisphere: heat, drought and fire
The summer broke several records, with heat waves in countries like Czech Republic, England, Japan and Sweden. In Oman, the temperature reached 42.6º … at night. The fires in Greece left 99 fatalities
Floods in India
The worst rains in 80 years, with devastating floods that left more than 500 dead and more than 10 thousand houses destroyed
Extreme summer in Japan
The heat wave killed 105 people in Tokyo alone. The rains and floods left at least 23 dead between June and July. In August, Typhoon Jebi killed 11 people
Fire in California
The Camp and Woolsey wildfires devastated in California left 85 dead and destroyed some 14,000 homes. Scientists have shown that climate change has increased the number of fires in the region
Floods in China
China suffered heavy floods between July and August in several regions, doubling and even tripling the current records. At least 66 people died
Typhoon Mangkhut
In September, Typhoon Mangkhut hit China and the Philippines with winds of up to 330 kilometers per hour. It left 133 dead and destroyed some 10 thousand homes
Hurricanes Florence and Michael
The southern United States, the Caribbean and Central America had a devastating hurricane season, which highlighted the gusts and rains of Florence and Michael
The report points out that all these disasters are related to climate change. Kat Kramer, Christian Aid’s global director of climate change, said that “climate change is often considered a problem of the future” because its consequences are “so devastating” that we do not want to face “what is already happening”.
