Extreme rainfall

Effect of climate change at least as large as El Niño in strengthening Hurricane Polo 

Hurricane Polo off the coast of Mexico on September 23 2026. Image: MODIS - Nasa Earth Observatory

Hurricane Polo developed into a tropical depression on 20 September and rapidly strengthened into a Hurricane within 24 hours. By 22 September, the National Hurricane Center had upgraded the storm to Category 5, making it one of the fastest-strengthening storms observed in the Eastern Pacific (Copernicus, 2026). Exceptionally warm ocean waters supplied the heat and … Continue reading “Effect of climate change at least as large as El Niño in strengthening Hurricane Polo “

Rapid Warming in the Himalaya Exacerbates Geohazard Cascades Beyond Adaptation Limits

Views of settlements in central northern Nepal covered in mud following the devastating flash floods that swept through the area on 26 August, causing widespread destruction to homes, roads and other infrastructure.

A catastrophic rock-ice avalanche that transitioned into a debris flood in the Himalayas along the Nepal–China border on 26 August 2026 has caused widespread destruction across Nepal and neighbouring regions. In Nepal, at the time of writing (14 September 2026) the disaster has resulted in over 1,300 confirmed deaths, with only a small fraction of … Continue reading “Rapid Warming in the Himalaya Exacerbates Geohazard Cascades Beyond Adaptation Limits”

Flood impacts in Assam driven by high exposure and structural vulnerability, amid uncertain rainfall trends

Flooding in Assam State in August 2026. Photo: Facebook/CMO Assam

Between late June and early August 2026, the region of Upper Assam (specifically the primary districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat) and the surrounding hill catchments of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India witnessed multiple spells of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall that triggered repeated waves of flash flooding and widespread inundation across the … Continue reading “Flood impacts in Assam driven by high exposure and structural vulnerability, amid uncertain rainfall trends”

Climate change and urban pressures intensify flood risk on the Gulf of Guinea coast

Between 20–22 June, the coastal regions of the countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea, particularly Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria, experienced exceptionally widespread and severe flooding following intense and persistent rainfall. In several locations, more than 140 mm of rain fell within less than 24 hours, overwhelming natural drainage systems and triggering extensive flash … Continue reading “Climate change and urban pressures intensify flood risk on the Gulf of Guinea coast”

Unplanned urbanisation fuels landslide disasters amid emerging rainfall trends

View of impacted areas in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil

At the end of February, intense and localized rainfall triggered severe flooding and landslides across the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, resulting in more than 70 fatalities (ReliefWeb, 2026). The city of Juiz de Fora was particularly affected and recorded its wettest month  on record (INMET; G1, 2026). The first heavy rainfall events occurred between … Continue reading “Unplanned urbanisation fuels landslide disasters amid emerging rainfall trends”