The climate threat|Global challenges

The climate threat|Global challenges
New report: Europe suffers from 'extreme heat stress'

During 2023, a record number of days with "extreme heat stress" were noted in Europe, according to the new report "European State of the Climate 2023" produced by the EU's climate service Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The report shows, among other things, that eleven of the year's twelve months were warmer than average and that Europe is the continent that is warming the fastest.

According to the report, floods cause increasing damage. Around 81 percent of Europe's economic losses as a result of climate impacts are caused by floods. About 1.6 million people on the continent were affected by floods last year.

- The climate crisis is our generation's biggest challenge, says WMO director Celeste Saulo.

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Tens of thousands are evacuated in China after the floods

Around 60,000 people in China's Guangdong province have been evacuated after recent heavy flooding, the BBC reports. Eleven people are missing, but local authorities have not reported any deaths in connection with the storm.

Authorities say they are monitoring "dangerously high water levels". Images on social media and in state-controlled media show how parts of the province are under water.

According to the forecasts, heavy downpours will cause it in the region during Monday as well. Weather warnings have been issued in several cities, including Hong Kong and Shenzhen
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127 million Chinese are threatened by massive floods

Heavy rain threatens to cause major flooding in Guangdong province in southeastern China. According to state media, water levels in rivers and tributaries are expected to soon begin to rise to levels that only occur "once in a century", AFP reports.

Over 127 million people live in the affected areas. Chinese authorities have increased preparedness and state weather institutes have issued several weather warnings, including for strong storms around the coastal areas.

There are no reports of casualties or mass evacuations yet.

Extreme weather has become more common in line with climate change, writes AF