• Widespread floods claim over 1 000 lives, leave 4 million affected in West and Central Africa

    Widespread floods in West and Central Africa, caused by extraordinary torrential rains since July 2024, killed at least 1 000 people and affected 4 million. The floods destroyed 300 000 homes and displaced 500 000 people. The catastrophic humanitarian situation, aggravated by the northward passage of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), has resulted in widespread damage to homes, schools, medical facilities, swaths of farmland, and heightening the risk of water-borne diseases, food insecurity, and malnutrition.

  • Flash floods strike Cannes after severe storm drops nearly 40 mm (1.57 inches) of rain in just one hour, France

    A severe storm hit the cities of Cannes and Antibes in France on the morning of Monday, September 23, 2024, bringing intense rainfall that caused flooding and significant disruption across the region. In less than an hour, Cannes received up to 40 mm (1.57 inches) of rain, with 16 mm (0.63 inches) falling in just six minutes.

  • Level 5 emergency alert issued after devastating floods hit Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture

    Heavy torrential rains struck the Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan on Friday and Saturday, September 20 and 21, 2024, leading to severe flooding in the region, and prompting the highest level of flood alert. Wajima City recorded 318.5 mm (12.5 inches) of rainfall between Friday and Saturday, while Suzu recorded 226 mm (8.9 inches) of rain within the same period. One person was killed and more than 10 remain missing, as of 12:00 UTC today.

  • Flash floods in Alcalá del Júcar, Spain drag 15 cars into a river

    Heavy rains in the higher regions of Spain’s Albacete Province caused the Júcar River to overflow, leading to severe flash floods in Alcalá del Júcar on Wednesday. The floods dragged 15 cars into the river, but fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported. “It had been raining heavily for a while, but as soon as…

  • Storm Boris floods Italy, Emilia-Romagna sees over 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain in 48 hours

    Around 300 – 400 mm (11.8 – 15.7 inches) of rain fell in the Emilia-Romagna Region of northern Italy in 48 hours between Tuesday and Thursday, September 17 – 19, 2024. Triggered by the Storm “Boris” (also known as Cyclone “Boris”) the rains caused intense flooding, forcing around 1 000 people to evacuate and move to shelters.