Africa

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”

Increasingly severe rainstorms put people and structures built on floodplains at risk

Since 16 January, nine named storms have battered the western Mediterranean, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco hardest hit.  In Spain, flooding and infrastructure damage from heavy winds forced over 12,400 evacuations, affected 115,000 people in 19 villages in the Sierra de Cádiz, and led the Spanish Government to commit more than €7 billion in aid, … Continue reading “Increasingly severe rainstorms put people and structures built on floodplains at risk”

La Niña, Climate change, high exposure and vulnerability combined led to devastating floods in parts of Southern Africa

Since late December 2025, severe flooding has affected large parts of Mozambique, Eswatini, northeastern South Africa and Zimbabwe, killing more than 200 people (Al Jazeera, 2026), destroying more than 173,000 acres of crops (Sky News, 2026) and causing further widespread humanitarian and socioeconomic impacts in the affected countries. In Mozambique, more than 75,000 people across … Continue reading “La Niña, Climate change, high exposure and vulnerability combined led to devastating floods in parts of Southern Africa”

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”