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Fri, 19:40 29 Aug 2008 GMT17

 
Latin America & Caribbean floods

Last reviewed: 29-02-2008

Deadly impact of heavy rains and storms


A Bolivian woman walks through the floodwaters in February 2007. REUTERS/David Mercado
A Bolivian woman walks through the floodwaters in February 2007. REUTERS/David Mercado
Torrential rains in South and Central America and hurricanes in the Caribbean put tens of thousands of people at risk of flooding each year, often with devastating consequences.

  • Property, farmland and infrastructure destroyed
  • Deadly mudslides and landslides triggered
  • Climate change seen exacerbating the problem

    In the Caribbean, the Atlantic hurricane season running from June to November poses a threat to coastal communities when tropical storms and hurricanes generate storm surges and trigger landslides and flash floods.

    Elsewhere in Latin America, torrential rains between December and May can swamp agricultural land, destroy livelihoods, damage homes and services and force mass evacuations.

    In early 2008, devastating floods hit Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru as a weather abnormality known as La Nina brought some of the heaviest rains in a quarter-century, swelling rivers and bursting banks. Ecuador and Peru both declared states of emergency.

    Meaning "little girl" in Spanish, La Nina is an unusual cooling of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures that can trigger more hurricanes and worse rains in many places.

    Death tolls from floods have generally fallen in recent years as countries become more adept at disaster prevention, although experts warn that more people are likely to be affected in future as global warming generates more and bigger floods.

    British researchers say they have shown that a half-degree Celsius temperature rise in the Atlantic Ocean can fuel a 40 percent increase in hurricanes.

    Other factors increasing flood risks include environmental factors such as deforestation and rapid urban growth.

    Countries with sound disaster prevention policies are generally better at minimising the humanitarian impact of flooding. Flood disasters also highlight the link between extreme poverty and vulnerability.


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