By : Lloyd Mahachi

A team of international scientists has concluded that human-caused climate change exacerbated the deadly floods in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan in recent months. According to World Weather Attribution (WWA), global warming intensified seasonal downpours by 5-20% across the Niger and Lake Chad basins.

The devastating floods killed approximately 1,500 people and displaced over 1 million more in West and Central Africa, overwhelming dams in Nigeria and Sudan. Researchers warn that such intense rainfall could become an annual occurrence if warming continues.

“Spells of heavy summer rainfall have become the new normal in Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad,” said Izidine Pinto, Researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.

The World Weather Attribution study highlights the dire consequences of climate change in Africa, which has contributed minimally to global carbon emissions. Joyce Kimutai, researcher at Imperial College in London, emphasized that rich nations must provide “meaningful finance” to support affected regions.

If global warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius, such downpours are expected to occur nearly every year in the affected regions. The upcoming COP29 climate talks in November will be crucial in addressing this issue and securing financial support for vulnerable communities.

The scientific community is calling for increased investment in early warning systems and dam upgrades to mitigate the impact of climate-related disasters. As the world grapples with the consequences of climate change, Africa’s vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for collective action.

Editor : Josephine Mahachi