Heavy flooding on the East Coast of the United States

Heavy flooding hit the East Coast of the United States on Friday, particularly in coastal areas around the capital Washington and Baltimore.

The U.S. Meteorological Service (NWS) has warned that the area could suffer “one of the largest tidal floods in 10 to 20 years”, adding that some places saw the most severe damage since Hurricane Isabel in 2003. May go.

Tide or rain floods are expected in Washington and the area around Baltimore, with “strong winds and strong thunderstorms capable of producing potentially devastating gusts,” the local NWS tweeted Friday.

Several coastal flood warnings have been issued by the Meteorological Services from Virginia to central New Jersey.

In Annapolis, a coastal city in Maryland, about fifty kilometers from Washington, residents roamed the flooded streets with water up to their knees. One of them even opted to travel by kayak, thus staying dry.

A man rides a bicycle through the flooded streets of Annapolis, Maryland on October 29, 2021 (AFP - Jim Watson)

A man rides a bicycle through the flooded streets of Annapolis, Maryland on October 29, 2021 (AFP – Jim Watson)

Sandbags were installed at the entrance of some shops to prevent water from entering.

Record high rainfall hit California on Monday after months of drought and recurring wildfires, causing several floods.

The role of climate change has been regularly cited by scientists to explain the frequency and intensity of these extreme climate events. According to the Consortium of Researchers World Weather Award, the devastating July floods by Germany and Belgium were made more intense by warming.

An increase in the temperature of the atmosphere mechanically increases the humidity that it can hold.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *