Mass floods and heatwaves hit Asia: the role of global warming in extreme weather events
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In this edition, we take a closer look at climate change in Asia and its impact on extreme weather events. Whether it be scorching heatwaves in Pakistan or devastating floods in Bangladesh, the likelihood of these events occurring is increasing along with global temperatures.
Dr. Friederike Otto is a senior lecturer in climate science at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London. She is also one of the co-leads of World Weather Attribution, an international effort to analyse whether climate change has had an effect on extreme weather events. She shares her expertise on these topics with us.
In recent weeks, India and Bangladesh have experienced floods that have killed close to 200 people and displaced 7 million. Beyond these numbers, these events pose serious consequences for people's livelihoods, whether in rural areas or urban settings.
Heatwaves are also a major threat in the region. Pakistan, for instance, is home to one of the world's hottest cities, Jacobabad. After recording extremely high temperatures for several years, the city saw up to 51°C at the peak of the heatwave in May. France 24 correspondents Shahzaib Wahlah and Sonia Ghezali went there to report.
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