Dora Vrkic

Heat Action Day Report: Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat

Researchers from World Weather Attribution assessed the influence of human-caused climate change on dangerous heat waves over the past 12 months, in collaboration with Climate Central and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. Published ahead of Heat Action Day on June 2, the study found that 4 billion people (about 49% of the global population) … Continue reading “Heat Action Day Report: Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat”

Consecutive extreme heat and flooding events in Argentina highlight the risk of managing increasingly frequent and intense hazards in a warming climate

Ruta 3 highway in Bahía Blanca was damaged by the floods. Credit: Vialidad Nacional jurisdicción Bahía Blanca

On 7 March, 2025, Bahía Blanca, Argentina, experienced an unprecedented rainfall event with over 300 mm of rain in just 8 hours, nearly half of the city’s annual average. This extreme event, the heaviest in the city’s recorded history (1956-present), was caused by a cold front reaching the area after several days of hot, humid … Continue reading “Consecutive extreme heat and flooding events in Argentina highlight the risk of managing increasingly frequent and intense hazards in a warming climate”

Increasing extreme rainfall and rapid urbanisation, major drivers behind Gaborone’s deadly floods

Gaborone, Botswana - February 20th 2025: Flooding of the Segoditshane river in Gaborone, Botswana, Africa. Bashi Kikia / Shutterstock.com.

In mid-February 2025, southern Botswana and eastern South Africa were hit by heavy rainfall, sparking severe flooding across the region. The floods claimed at least 31 lives, including 22 in KwaZulu-Natal (Mhlophe-Gumede, 2025), near Durban, and at least nine in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, amongst them six children (Government of Botswana, 2025). At least 5,000 people … Continue reading “Increasing extreme rainfall and rapid urbanisation, major drivers behind Gaborone’s deadly floods”

Women and girls continue to bear disproportionate impacts of heatwaves in South Sudan that have become a constant threat

A women collects water in Juba, South Sudan. Image by Rod Waddington.

Extreme heat has affected a large region of  continental Eastern Africa since mid-February. Extreme daytime temperatures have been recorded in South Sudan particularly affecting people in poor housing and outdoor workers, a very large part of the population.  After dozens of children collapsed with heatstroke in Juba, schools were closed for two weeks nationwide starting … Continue reading “Women and girls continue to bear disproportionate impacts of heatwaves in South Sudan that have become a constant threat”

Yet another hurricane wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change

A satellite photo of Hurricane Milton as a massive swirling mass of white cloud above earth with black space at the top of the photo.

Hurricane Milton began as a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday 5th October. It very rapidly intensified to tropical storm status, before undergoing explosive intensification to a high category 5 between Sunday 6th and Monday 7th, as it moved southeast towards the Yucatan Peninsula (NOAA, 2024), where the central pressure fell to … Continue reading “Yet another hurricane wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change”