Dangerous Manifestations of Climate Disasters in 2024 | Part 2

Part 2

We continue to summarize the climate outcomes of 2024, which showed unprecedented climate changes on the planet. The events of this year are not only staggering in their scale but also confirm the accuracy of predictions made by scientists a decade ago. This article outlines the events of 2024 and what it means for all of us.

Tropical Cyclones

Tropical hurricanes, like many other natural disasters, typically occur during specific months of the year. However, in recent times—and especially in 2024—the boundaries of these seasons have blurred and become chaotic, which significantly complicates the prediction of these events and preparation for them.

In the Atlantic, the hurricane season usually spans from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity occurring in August and September. Yet, 2024 broke from this pattern entirely. The season began unusually actively. Between June 28 and July 10, the exceptionally powerful Hurricane Beryl devastated parts of the Caribbean, the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of the United States. In the Atlantic, it became the only Category 4 tropical hurricane in history to form in June, and the earliest Category 5 hurricane. Dozens of people became victims of the disaster.

Later, during the peak of the season in August, there was an unexpected lull, baffling climatologists. After this, there was an anomalous increase in activity: 12 out of 18 storms in the 2024 hurricane season formed after the peak of the season's activity. Seven of these storms struck the region after September 25 which is a record for this time of the year.

Illustration of hurricane activity during the Atlantic tropical hurricane season in 2024

Also, according to AccuWeather Hurricane tracker, the last month of the season — November – turned out to be too active in the Atlantic, when Category 3 Hurricane Rafael (November 4-11, 2024) and Tropical Storm Sara (November 14-18, 2024) formed. Although usually, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), no more than one tropical storm is recorded in this month, and only once every five years does it intensify to a Category 3 hurricane or higher.

Due to the energy that the overheated ocean gives to tropical cyclones, these phenomena become extremely powerful. According to recent studies, the strength of all 11 hurricanes in the Atlantic increased this year, with their maximum wind speeds rising by 15–45 km/h (9–28 mph). As a result, seven hurricanes were upgraded to higher categories on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and two tropical storms intensified into hurricanes.

Typhoon Yagi, which formed on August 31 in the South China Sea, reached Category 5 strength and inflicted devastating damage across several countries, including the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos. Yagi poured a huge amount of rain, especially in Vietnam. At least 300 people died from the consequences of heavy rains, and hundreds were injured.

Aftermath of the Devastating Super Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia

This typhoon had an exceptionally large outer radius and remained at super typhoon strength for an unusually long period—nearly 64 hours—which was the main cause of such widespread destruction.

Typhoon Kong-rey, which struck Taiwan on October 31, was the largest typhoon to impact the island since 1996. According to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), the radius of its maximum wind - the distance between the center of the cyclone and the band of its strongest winds - reached 320 km (199 miles). This was the first time in history that such a powerful typhoon struck the island so late in the year, later than mid-October.

Overheated oceans also create conditions that allow hurricanes to intensify rapidly. The rapid intensification of hurricanes has devastating consequences, particularly for coastal areas, which has become a widespread phenomenon in recent years, especially in 2024.

Rapid intensification is defined as an increase in a tropical cyclone's maximum sustained wind speed of about 35 mph (56 km/h) within a 24-hour period.

Notable examples of such rapid intensification include tropical hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Flooded areas with tons of mud and debris after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, USA

Hurricane Helene, before striking the state of Florida in the USA on September 26, intensified from Category 1 to Category 4 in just one day, becoming the most powerful hurricane in the Big Bend region since the beginning of meteorological observations (1851). Wind speeds reached 225 km/h (140 mph).

The storm devastated six states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, turning vast areas into disaster zones. In North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Helene caused the most severe flooding in 100 years. The state's economy suffered damage amounting to $59.6 billion (as reported by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management). Hurricane Helene claimed the lives of 225 people.

Houses destroyed by Hurricane Helene, USA

Less than two weeks later, another powerful hurricane, Milton, hit Florida. Before making landfall, it shocked meteorologists: the hurricane intensified from Category 1 to the highest Category 5 in just over 12 hours. Wind speeds reached 290 km/h (180 mph). Milton triggered an unusually intense tornado outbreak and dangerous storm surges. The residents of Florida avoided the worst-case scenario due to the hurricane weakening to Category 3 before landfall and the large-scale evacuation of the population.

Tropical Hurricane John, which struck Mexico on September 23, became a real nightmare for the residents. Firstly, no one was prepared for this natural disaster, as John was forecast to remain a tropical storm and quickly dissipate after making landfall. However, before landfall, it also experienced rapid intensification: explosive strengthening to Category 3 in just 18 hours.

Secondly, a few days after the hurricane had seemingly dissipated and moved back into the ocean, it unexpectedly reintensified and struck the country again. Due to this behavior, it was classified as a “zombie hurricane.”

A “zombie” storm – a term that refers to systems that dissipate before strengthening back into a storm.

Thirdly, John brought extreme rainfall to the states of Guerrero and Michoacán. Acapulco was particularly affected. The residents were devastated: they had not yet recovered from last year's Category 5 Hurricane Otis, which caused colossal destruction. However, according to eyewitnesses, this time the situation was even worse: The rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane John exceeded 950 mm (37 inches), almost three times the amount during Hurricane Otis (350 mm or 14 inches of rainfall).

Catastrophically flooded areas of Mexico

It is worth noting that, in the entire history of observations, only three hurricanes have made landfall on Mexico's coastline near Acapulco. Two of them—Otis (October 2023) and John (September 2024)—occurred in the last 14 months.

This highlights another dangerous trend: tropical cyclones have started making landfall in densely populated areas that were previously considered protected from such a natural disaster.

Kaohsiung, a major port city with a population of over 2.7 million, is located on the western coast of Taiwan, where typhoons rarely make landfall. In October this year, it was hit by a powerful typhoon, Krathon, for the first time in 47 years.

Krathon moved very slowly at a speed of just 4 km/h (2.5 mph), causing a huge amount of rain to fall on the affected areas—in some places up to 1,690 mm (66.5 inches) in just a few days. Experts noted that such an amount of rainfall in such a short period is rare even for Taiwan, which made this typhoon particularly destructive.

Flooded areas of the city, Taiwan

Krathon clearly demonstrates another trend: a tropical cyclone does not necessarily need to make landfall with maximum wind strength to cause enormous damage. One of the biggest problems lies in the rainfall it brings and the storm surges, as most fatalities occur due to flooding.

In 2024, the cascade of natural disasters—where one destructive event is quickly followed by another—sharply increased, turning affected regions into zones of endless disaster.

This autumn, the Philippines faced six typhoons in less than a month, from late October to mid-November: Tropical Storm Trami, Super Typhoon Kong-rey, Typhoon Yinxing, Typhoon Toraji, Typhoon Usagi, and Tropical Storm Man-yi. Remarkably, four of them hit within just 10 days.

Four typhoons striking the Philippines one after another

These typhoons dumped enormous amounts of rainfall, causing large-scale flooding. The disasters affected 9 million people, claimed at least 171 lives, and inflicted significant damage on the nation's economy.

Although the Philippines is prone to extreme weather conditions and is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, the series of typhoons this year has been exceptional.

Abnormal Precipitation and Flooding

The warming of the oceans enhances evaporation, saturating the atmosphere with moisture. As a result, the frequency of anomalous rainfall has significantly increased in recent years.

In 2024, 27 countries in the tropical zone of Africa experienced extraordinarily heavy rainfall compared to their historical norms. Flooding caused by these downpours affected approximately 11 million people, with 2,500 fatalities. Millions of hectares of arable land were submerged, and infrastructure, including hundreds of medical facilities, was destroyed or severely damaged.

In Europe, over the past 25 years, the frequency of intense rainfall events has increased more than 50-fold.

A comparison of intense rainfall in European countries over two five-year periods: 2000–2004 and 2020–2024

The intensity of rainfall has reached unprecedented levels.

It is no longer surprising when an entire month's worth of rain falls in a single day. The new reality has become harsher—now an annual amount of precipitation can fall in just a few days or even hours.

In August, in Suizhong County, Huludao District, Liaoning Province, China, received as much rain in 12 hours as it usually falls in an entire year. This became a record for the region since the beginning of meteorological observations, in 1951.

Severe flooding after record rainfall, China

On the night of November 12–13, nearly an entire year’s worth of rain—400 mm (15.75 inches)—fell within six hours in the Italian commune of Giarre (average annual rainfall is 429.3 mm or 16.9 inches).

From April 16–18 in Zarabad, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, a record rainfall for the region was recorded: in 3 days, almost four annual norms of rain fell—270 mm (10.63 inches) (average annual norm is 70 mm or 2.75 inches).

The infrastructure in many regions is simply unprepared for such volumes of rainfall. Although people habitually blame municipal services for the aftermath, it must be acknowledged that no system is equipped to handle such extreme loads.

On November 19, the city of Zikhron Ya’akov in Israel experienced the heaviest rainfall in the country's history, according to the director of the Israel Meteorological Service. Within just four hours, 196 mm (7.7 inches) fell, which is almost 60% of the annual rainfall in the region.

Drainage systems destroyed by heavy rain, Israel

Drainage systems were prepared in advance for precipitation but could not cope with such an abnormal volume of water, which led to large-scale flooding.

On August 10, Cyclone Otillia brought torrential rain to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region in Russia. In the centre of St. Petersburg, the rain intensity reached 19.99 mm (0.79 inches) in 20 minutes—which is 3 times more than the city's sewage system can withstand. According to “Vodokanal”, the sewage system cannot cope with runoff if the rainfall intensity exceeds 7.2 mm (0.28 inches) in 20 minutes.

At the end of August in Sudan, after abnormal rains, the Arbaat Dam collapsed, leading to serious damage to the infrastructure of Port Sudan. While blame could be placed on those responsible for dam maintenance, the accumulated rainfall for the month—ranging from 51 mm to 305 mm (2 to 12 inches)—exceeded the annual average by five times which predetermined the fate of the dam.

Massive flooding after the collapse of the Arbaat Dam, Port Sudan, Sudan

What is particularly striking is that such anomalous rainfall has also begun to fall in traditionally arid areas, including the world's largest deserts.

In the Kufra region of the Libyan Desert, a record-breaking 51 mm (2 inches) of rain fell in just one hour on August 11—the most since 1952. This is 15 times the monthly average for August (3.3 mm or 0.13 inches).

In the arid Tibesti region of Chad, even in August, the rainiest month, precipitation typically lasts no more than 2.5 hours per month, with an average of 5 mm (0.2 inches) for August. However, in August 2024, downpours persisted for over a week.

In Australia’s Great Victoria Desert, near Lake Eyre, 325.4 mm (12.81 inches) of rain fell in just four days, from March 9 to 12— exceeding the annual average of 316.4 mm (12.45 inches).

Meanwhile, in the African Sahara Desert near the Morocco-Algeria border, rainwater filled lakes and riverbeds that had been dry for decades. For example, Lake Iriqui in Morocco, dry for 50 years, was replenished with water.

Lake Iriqui filled with water, Sahara Desert

On September 7, 170 mm (6.69 inches) of rain—around four annual averages—fell in a single day on Tagounite, Morocco (average annual rainfall: 38 mm or 1.5 inches).

In the United Arab Emirates, the city of Al Ain received five annual averages of rainfall within 24 hours: 254.8 mm (10.03 inches), compared to the annual average of 48 mm (1.89 inches).

Catastrophic flooding is inevitable with such intense rainfall.

A tragic example was the devastating flood in Spain. On October 29, in Chiva, Valencia, 491 mm (19.33 inches) of rain fell in just eight hours, surpassing the annual rainfall average of 427 mm (16.81 inches). This led to widespread devastation: streets were buried under tons of mud, homes were destroyed, and mangled vehicles littered the area. The disaster claimed over 220 lives.

Mangled and damaged vehicles after the devastating flood in Valencia, Spain

The situation is exacerbated by rainfall significantly exceeding forecasts. In such cases, floods occur so suddenly that people have no time to react, unable to believe the water could rise so quickly.

Residents of the Ardèche Department in France were left reeling after the horror they experienced on October 17, 2024: In just one day, some areas received 700 mm (27.56 inches) of rain.

Raging floodwaters sweeping away a car, Ardèche Department, France

In the village of Limony, everything was calm at 9 a.m., but by 10 a.m., water had risen 2 meters (6.56 feet). In some houses in the town of Annonay, water reached the ceilings, and residents had to be urgently evacuated by helicopter.

On this day, six departments in the country simultaneously declared a red alert—the first time in the region's history.

Starting September 18, torrential rains hit northeastern Italy. The city of Faenza was so rapidly flooded that many residents had to hastily leave their homes by boat in the middle of the night.

People taking refuge on a rooftop from sudden flooding, Faenza, Italy

Floods are increasingly exhibiting cascade effects, with one event following another in the same area.

In 2024, the time between climate disasters shortened, and their intensity grew so much that rebuilding infrastructure and economies could take months or even years.

The flood in Emilia-Romagna vividly illustrates this trend, as September 2024 marked the region's third major flooding event in just 16 months.

Rushing water flows through city streets, Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy

People were devastated: before they could recover from the deadly flooding in May 2023, they were once again at the center of a destructive natural disaster.

In recent years, and especially in 2024, relentless storms and floods in many regions of Saudi Arabia have become almost continuous. Despite most of the country being classified as arid, characterized by a desert climate with sparse rainfall primarily occurring in winter, the situation has drastically changed.

People escaping from cars during sudden flooding, Saudi Arabia

Floods are disrupting typical seasonality. This trend is mirrored in other types of disasters, such as wildfires, tornadoes, temperature anomalies, and more. These phenomena were discussed in detail in the first part of the annual summary of climate disasters.

In 2024, floods in China, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, started two months earlier than usual and were more intense compared to previous years.

Flooded city streets, China

In the Pearl River Basin, six large-scale floods occurred as early as April on the Beijiang, Hanjiang, and Dongjiang Rivers. 

Two of these, Floods No. 1 and No. 2 on the Beijiang River, were the earliest and largest floods recorded since the beginning of observations in 1998. The aftermath of such floods is immense: only in July 2024, according to China's Emergency Management Department, 22.91 million people across the country were affected by torrential rains, floods, and landslides.

Life in the metropolis came to a standstill due to severe flooding, China

Tanzania typically experiences two monsoon rainy seasons: in autumn, from late October to mid-December, and in spring, from late March to May. However, in 2024, torrential rains caused chaos continuously from January to May. Floods destroyed more than 51,000 homes, damaged over 76,500 hectares (189,000 acres) of farmland, and claimed the lives of at least 155 people, with hundreds more injured.

Floods are reaching enormous scales, sometimes covering significant portions of entire countries.

This spring, disaster struck Kazakhstan, affecting more than 70% of the country's territory: 12 out of 17 regions were impacted. Hundreds of settlements were submerged, dozens of roads were destroyed, and 99,800 people were forced to evacuate their homes. The massive flooding lasted nearly two months and was the strongest in 80 years.

Vast territory covered by floodwaters, Kazakhstan

In 2024, floods impacted 64 regions of Russia. More than 49,000 homes and over 98,000 homestead plots were in the flood zone. Spring flooding in the Orenburg, Kurgan, and Tyumen regions reached record levels in the history of observations. Yakutia also experienced large-scale and extremely rare floods: water inundated villages in the Namsky District, areas that had not flooded in decades.

Houses submerged up to their roofs due to spring flooding, Russia

Abnormal rains that hit southern Brazil at the end of April nearly submerged the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul. The tragedy claimed 169 lives, with 800 people injured. The massive floods washed away roads, destroyed bridges, and triggered landslides across the state. In the state's largest city, “graveyards” of cars appeared. In total, more than 2 million residents were affected, and over 580,000 people were forced to leave their homes.

Widespread flooding in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Landslides

Intense rainfall and devastating floods are only part of the problem. The massive volume of water saturates the ground, making it unstable and inevitably leading to another deadly threat—landslides. Unthinkably, hundreds or even thousands of lives can be lost in just minutes.

On July 21 and 22, heavy rains in the Geza-Gofa district, Gofa Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia, triggered a series of destructive landslides, claiming 249 lives and injuring over 15,000 people.

Residents clearing rubble after a destructive landslide, Ethiopia

The first landslide struck on the morning of July 21, burying several houses and trapping residents under the debris.

Many people rushed to the scene to help with rescue efforts, but they were soon engulfed by a second, even larger landslide, which caused the significant loss of life.

The situation was worsened by a complete lack of specialized equipment. Local residents, desperate to find their loved ones, removed tons of earth and stones using shovels, pickaxes, and sometimes just their bare hands.

An even deadlier event occurred on July 30 in Wayanad district, Kerala, India. Triggered by abnormally heavy rains— over 570 mm (22.44 inches) in just two days—a series of landslides devastated the region.

Rescue efforts after a massive landslide, Wayanad District, Kerala, India

The landslides struck homes at night while people were sleeping, leading to a massive loss of life. By August 17, the district administration reported over 400 fatalities, with more than 150 people still missing.

One of the landslides was so powerful that it blocked the Iravanjipuzha River, altering its course. The redirected river wiped out the village of Chooralmala.

The village of Chooralmala, swept away by a redirected river due to a massive landslide, India

On May 24, at around 3:00 a.m. local time, a destructive landslide leveled the village of Yambali in Enga Province, northern Papua New Guinea.

Residents who were still asleep at the time were buried alive under tons of mud and stones. The landslide covered an area of approximately 9 hectares (22 acres), equivalent to the size of 12 football fields. The mud layer reached a thickness of 8 meters (26 feet). A total of 1,400 households and 7,850 people were directly affected. According to estimates from Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Management Centre, more than 2,000 people lost their lives.

A massive landslide in the village of Yambali, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea

In the first 11 months of 2024, according to the website https://eos.org/landslide-blog, the number of fatal landslides reached a record high of 728 incidents.

This is evident in the graph, where the black line represents the cumulative number of landslides in 2024, while gray lines show data from previous years.

Graph of cumulative landslide occurrences in 2024 compared to previous years

There is an anomalously high level of landslide activity in 2024, with a significant increase compared to other years.

All the climate events and natural anomalies described in this article are just the beginning. The forecast for future developments is clear: we face exponential growth in disasters as the planet enters its most critical phase.

What will happen to the planet in the coming years is detailed in the report “On the Progression of Climate Disasters on Earth and Their Catastrophic Consequences”. It is freely accessible and provides all the information: facts, numbers, and scientific research. Anyone who wants to delve deeper into what is happening to our planet can do so independently.

Despite the severity of the global climate crisis, there is still an opportunity to change the situation. However, it is crucial to find and implement effective solutions before the point of no return is crossed—because once that happens, the consequences will be irreversible.

Our planet is an interconnected system, where changes in one part inevitably affect another. That’s why the problem must be addressed comprehensively.

To effectively overcome the climate crisis, we must create conditions for seamless international scientific collaboration. Only by combining the efforts and knowledge of specialists from around the world can we find effective solutions to this global problem. Now is the time to advocate for the unification of scientific efforts to collectively address the climate crisis. It is equally important for each of us to recognize our role in creating public demand for such a consolidation of scientific potential.

The video version of this article is available here: