Water main causes of disasters of the last 50 years

Water-related hazards top the list of disasters in terms of both human and economic losses in the last 50 years. The information comes from a comprehensive analysis by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The evidence is present in a final analysis of the organization, to be published in September, in which it is exposed that extreme events related to water are positioned at the top of the list of disasters in terms of both human and economic losses in the last 50 years.

“The dangers related to weather, climate, and water are becoming more frequent and intense as a consequence of climate change. The human and economic losses caused by torrential rains and devastating floods last week in central Europe and China have resulted in tragic consequences, ” WMO said in its statement.

The worst disasters that caused the most serious human losses between 1970 and 2019 were droughts, with 650,000 deaths, storms 577,232 deaths, floods with 58,700 deaths, and extreme temperatures with 55,736 deaths. Meanwhile, the storms and floods were the most devastating economically, causing $ 521 billion and $ 115 billion respectively.

"The 2002 floods in Germany caused losses of $ 16.48 billion and was the phenomenon that generated the most economic losses in Europe between 1970 and 2019. However, heat waves claimed the highest number of human lives," he says. WMO in a statement.

“The data show that, during the 50-year period, meteorological, climatic and hydrological phenomena accounted for 50% of all disasters that occurred and caused 45% of all reported deaths and 74% of all economic losses recorded to world level ”, he adds.

Despite the tragedies that occur as a result of weather events, the number of fatalities they cause is generally decreasing thanks to improved early warnings and disaster management, according to WMO. (Water main causes of disasters)

Taking into account all disasters, 1,672 extreme events were recorded in Europe that caused 159,438 deaths and economic damages estimated at 476,500 million dollars between 1970 and 2019. The WMO highlights that, although floods (38%) and storms (32% ) were the most frequent cause of recorded disasters, extreme temperatures claimed the highest number of fatalities (93%): 148. 109 people in 50 years.

The extreme heatwaves of 2003 and 2010 were those that caused the highest number of deaths (80%): 127,946 deaths in total. Only that of 2003 caused half of the deaths in Europe (45%), with a total of 72,210 deaths in the 15 affected countries.

“ No country, developed or developing, is immune to this phenomenon. Climate change is here. We urgently need to invest more in adapting to climate change, and one way to do this is by strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems, ”Petteri Taalas emphasized.

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