The city of Derna, Libya on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. Floods from extreme rain killed thousands of people and washed entire neighborhoods into the sea. , according to local authorities. The disaster comes after a string of deadly floods around the world this month, from China to Brazil to Greece. In every case, extremely heavy rain was to blame.
Climate change makes heavy rain more common, even in arid places where the total amount of precipitation is small. That’s because a hotter atmosphere can hold more moisture. Everyday rainstorms, as well as bigger storms such as hurricanes, are increasingly dangerous as a result. The massive amount of rain caused widespread flash flooding, and overwhelmed at least one dam near the coastal city of Derna. That unleashed torrents of water powerful enough to sweep away entire neighborhoods.