Causes:
- Storm Daniel: A strong Mediterranean cyclone that brought heavy rains and flooding to eastern Libya.
- Dam failures: Two dams in the Wadi Derna river collapsed, releasing a massive amount of water and mud into the city of Derna.
Impacts:
- Extensive damage: The flooding destroyed or heavily damaged at least one-quarter of the city of Derna, leaving many structures submerged in thick mud.
- Displacement: An estimated 40,000 people were forced out of their homes, with around 30,000 displaced in Derna alone.
- Infrastructure damage: Roads, bridges, and other infrastructure were severely damaged, hindering rescue efforts and relief operations.
- Humanitarian crisis: The flooding led to a humanitarian crisis, with shortages of medicine, food, and shelter, and concerns about the spread of waterborne diseases.
Consequences:
- Death toll: More than 4,000 people were killed, with around 10,000 missing.
- Displacement: Thousands of people were displaced, with many still without suitable shelters or access to essential services.
- Economic impact: The flooding caused significant economic damage, with estimates suggesting that the recovery efforts could cost billions of euros.
- Long-term effects: The flooding has also had long-term effects on the region, including increased risk of waterborne diseases and ongoing displacement of people.
- The melting of ice sheets and glaciers contributes to sea-level rise, which can cause flooding and other coastal problems.
- NASA measures sea-level rise using satellite data and notes that it is accelerating due to the rapid melting of ice sheets and glaciers.
Here is a more detailed summary of the key causes of floods based on the search results:
## Main Causes of Floods
1. **Heavy and Prolonged Rainfall**:
- Heavy rainfall, especially over a prolonged period, can saturate the ground and cause rivers, streams, and other water bodies to overflow their banks. [1][2][3][5]
- Rapid snowmelt combined with heavy rain can also lead to significant flooding. [1][2]
2. **Geography and Terrain**:
- Regions with steep terrain, narrow valleys, and impermeable soils are more prone to flash floods, as water runs off the land quickly into rivers and streams. [3][4][5]
- Low-lying coastal areas are vulnerable to flooding from storm surges and rising sea levels. [3]
3. **Human Activities**:
- Deforestation, urbanization, and the construction of impermeable surfaces like roads and buildings can reduce the land's ability to absorb water, increasing runoff and flood risk. [3][4][5]
- Dam and levee failures can lead to catastrophic downstream flooding. [3][4]
4. **Climate Change**:
- Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and hurricanes, which can exacerbate flooding. [3]
- Rising sea levels due to climate change are also contributing to more frequent and severe coastal flooding. [3]
5. **Ice Jams**:
- The buildup and sudden release of ice in rivers can block water flow and lead to upstream flooding. [1][4]
These factors, often acting in combination, can create the conditions necessary for devastating flood events to occur around the world. Understanding these causes is crucial for developing effective flood prevention and mitigation strategies.
Citations:
[1] https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/490/reading/floods2-reading/
[2] https://scijinks.gov/flood/
[3] https://earth.org/what-are-the-main-causes-and-effects-of-floods/
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood
[5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zy99nbk/revision/1
NASA has a significant role in monitoring and predicting floods, which are the most common natural disaster worldwide. Here are some key NASA articles discussing floods:
- "Whatever Sea Level Rise Brings, NASA Will Be There":
- This article highlights NASA's role in monitoring and responding to floods, including the use of satellite data to identify flooded areas and provide crucial information to relief groups and response agencies.
- "Floods | NASA Applied Sciences":
- This article discusses NASA's efforts to improve flood prediction, preparation, response, and recovery by leveraging its fleet of Earth-observing satellites. It also provides information on various NASA tools and instruments used in flood situations.
- "NASA Predicts 2030s Record Flooding Due To Moon And Climate Change":
- This article discusses a study predicting record flooding in the 2030s due to a combination of rising sea levels and the moon's gravitational pull. It notes that high tide flooding has doubled in the last 30 years and will continue to worsen.
- "NASA Satellite Data Give Early Clues to Flood Danger":
- This article discusses how NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites can be used to predict flood potential months in advance by monitoring changes in water storage in river basins.
- "International SWOT Mission Can Improve Flood Prediction":
- This article highlights the upcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a partnership between NASA and the French space agency, which aims to improve flood prediction by measuring the height of water surfaces globally.
"Whatever Sea Level Rise Brings, NASA Will Be There"
- This article highlights NASA's role in monitoring and responding to floods, which are the most common natural disaster worldwide.
- NASA uses its fleet of Earth-observing satellites to identify flooded areas and provide crucial information to relief groups and response agencies.
- The article emphasizes that as sea levels continue to rise, NASA will be there to help communities prepare for and respond to the increasing threat of floods.
"Floods | NASA Applied Sciences"
- This article discusses NASA's efforts to improve flood prediction, preparation, response, and recovery by leveraging its Earth-observing satellite data.
- NASA provides a variety of tools and instruments that can be used to monitor floods, including:
- Satellite data to map flooded areas
- Models to predict flood potential and severity
- Information to support emergency response and recovery efforts
- The article highlights how NASA collaborates with other agencies and organizations to ensure its flood-related data and resources are accessible and useful for communities at risk.
NASA Warns of Imminent Coastal Flooding Crisis: The Combined Impact of Moon's "Wobble" and Climate Change-Induced Sea-Level Rise
- NASA study predicts record flooding in the 2030s: The study, published in Nature Climate Change, warns that the combination of the moon's "wobble" and climate change-induced sea-level rise could lead to unprecedented flooding in the coming decade.
- The moon's "wobble": The moon's orbit causes both high and low tide fluctuations approximately every 18.6 years. During half of this cycle, Earth's daily tides are suppressed, while during the other half, tides are amplified.
- Sea-level rise amplifies the effect: Climate change-induced sea-level rise consistently pushes high tides upward, making the amplified tidal fluctuations more severe.
- Flooding thresholds exceeded: The study predicts that high tides will surpass established flooding thresholds throughout the nation, leading to significant infrastructure damage and displacement of communities.
- Clusters of flooding events: The floods could occur in clusters lasting over a month, depending on the positions of the moon, Earth, and sun, potentially causing daily or every-other-day flooding during certain alignments.
- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson's warning: "Low-lying areas near sea level are increasingly at risk and suffering from the increased flooding. It will only get worse. The combination of the Moon's gravitational pull, rising sea levels, and climate change will continue to exacerbate coastal flooding on our coastlines and across the world."
- Impact on coastal cities: Almost all U.S. mainland coastlines, including Hawaii and Guam, are expected to face these effects, with sea-level rise projected to make hundreds of thousands of square miles of coastline uninhabitable and potentially displace over 100 million people worldwide by the end of the century.
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