The second half of 2021 has seen a lot of catastrophic situations around the world. From the wildfires in Turkey to severe flooding in China, here’s a list of all the episodes of misfortunes happening right now.
Wildfires rage across Europe
Wildfire blazes have erupted across Europe; the most devastating in Turkey resulted in six deaths. The country has been hit by 133 wildfires and tens of thousands were forced from their homes. Moreover, the heatwave has fuelled several fires in Greece, Italy, Croatia, and southern parts of Europe, leaving them struggling to cope. Strong winds and a dry atmosphere have allowed the fires to rapidly expand, reports The New York Times.
Rare Snowfall Blankets in Brazil
Several parts of Brazil have seen snow for the first time in 64 years due to an uncharacteristic cold spell. Rare low temperatures have also been experienced by 40 cities. This has threatened the country’s agricultural sector with the risen of coffee and sugar prices, according to The Insider. Not only this, the temperature is expected to keep dropping, with possible snowfall in other states.
Hail bigger than tennis balls rained down in northern Italy
Towns around Italy’s Lake Como were hit by the size of tennis balls hailstones damaged nearly 100 cars. While hailstorms are a common summer feature in the country, the frequency of hailstorms this year is quite unusual. More than 60 rescues have been carried out so far, per reports.
Paraná River, suffering from a severe drought in South America
According to Reuters, due to a prolonged shortage of rainfall in Brazil, Parana’s water is at the lowest level since 1944. Due to this aggravating situation, Argentina’s government has urged citizens to limit water use to alleviate pressure on the River as it is the transportation route for 80 percent of the country’s farm exports and a source of drinking water, irrigation, and energy.
Severe Flooding in Europe and China
Floods have upended life in China, Germany, and Belgium. Hundreds of the residents have lost their lives because of the situation. As the atmosphere warms with climate change, it also holds more moisture, which means that when rainclouds break, more rain is released, as per details.
These occurrences have sent a stark reminder to everyone that climate change is making weather more extreme across the globe.
