Europe Endures Most Widespread Floods Since 2013, Scientists Report
Brussels: Europe faced its most widespread flooding last year since 2013, with 30% of the continent's river network hit by significant floods, scientists said on Tuesday, as fossil fuel-driven climate change continued to prompt torrential rain and other extreme weather.
According to Bahrain News Agency, flooding claimed the lives of at least 335 people in Europe in 2024 and affected more than 410,000 individuals, as reported by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organisation in a joint report on Europe's climate. The report highlighted that Western Europe bore the brunt of the flooding, with 2024 ranking among the ten wettest years for the region since records began in 1950.
Storms and floods remain the costliest weather extremes for Europe, with last year's damages exceeding 18 billion euros. The report further noted that 2024 was the warmest year on record globally, as well as for Europe, which has been identified as the fastest-warming continent. The planet is now approximately 1.3 degrees Celsius warmer than in pre-industrial times, a change primarily attributed to human-caused climate change.
While Western Europe faced devastating floods, much of Eastern Europe experienced drought due to a lack of rain. Nearly a third of Europe's river network exceeded a 'high' flood threshold, and 12% surpassed 'severe' flood levels in 2024.
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