Numerous countries around the world have been hit by torrential rains, flash floods, river flooding, and other large-scale flooding events that have submerged vast areas of land, caused devastation, affected millions of people, displaced hundreds of thousands, and claimed hundreds of lives. Although the rainy season is still underway in many regions of the Northern Hemisphere, the magnitude of the ongoing natural disasters points to the effects of the climate crisis and the La Niña phenomenon.
The La Niña phenomenon is a climate pattern that typically follows El Niño. La Niña conditions are expected to prevail between August 2024 and February 2025, significantly affecting rainfall distribution and temperatures. The shift in climate is expected to have a major impact on several crisis hotspots around the world, including the risk of flooding in parts of South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Chad, Mali and Nigeria, as well as Sudan.
At the same time, climate change has increased the intensity and frequency of flooding. Scientists warn that such extreme weather events could become increasingly common as the climate crisis unfolds. Countries already facing complex emergencies are among the least prepared to cope with or respond to the impacts of extreme weather and disasters exacerbated by climate change.
Among the countries affected by the recent floods are many that are experiencing some of the world's worst humanitarian crises, including Sudan, Chad, Niger, South Sudan, Myanmar and Yemen. Hard hit are also some of the world's most populous countries, such as Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Around the world, humanitarian organizations are responding rapidly to the immediate needs of flood-affected populations with life-saving assistance. Here is a spotlight on some of the countries in urgent need.
Sudan
Heavy rainfall continues to batter Sudan, resulting in increased flooding, casualties and damage. Since the start of the rainy season in June, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that more than 136,000 people have been displaced by the floods, with more rain expected in the coming days.
Already plagued by the world's largest humanitarian crisis due to the war that erupted in 2023, the humanitarian impact of widespread flooding caused by heavy rains that have affected Sudan since July continues to grow.
As a result of the floods, the Arba'at Dam, located about 38 km northwest of Port Sudan, collapsed, reportedly leading to the destruction of 20 villages and hamlets, killing at least 32 people and leaving 64 missing. Some 50,000 people who live on the western side of the dam have been severely affected.
The floods have caused significant damage to the freshwater pipeline that supplies Port Sudan, with sections forced above ground, ruptured, and roads damaged.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), before the dam collapsed, flooding had already displaced at least 118,000 people between June and late August, and an estimated 434,000 people in 16 of Sudan's 18 states had already been affected. The most impacted states are Khartoum, Gezira, Kordofan and Darfur.
An estimated 47 percent of those displaced by the floods were already displaced by the ongoing conflict. These catastrophic displacements compound the country's devastating humanitarian crisis after more than 500 days of brutal war.
Torrential rains have been wreaking havoc in the war-torn country since June, and warnings have been issued that 11 million people are likely to be exposed to exceptionally heavy rains in the coming days.
Chad
All 23 provinces of Chad are now affected by flooding following heavy rains that began earlier this summer in June. According to local authorities, 145 people have died. More than 960,000 people have been adversely affected, with some 70,000 homes destroyed.
Agriculture has also been severely disrupted. Chadian authorities declared a national food and nutrition emergency in February. Nearly 3.4 million people in Chad are facing acute hunger. The humanitarian impact of widespread flooding caused by rains and strong winds in central and southwestern Chad is growing.
The worst affected area is the Tibesti region in northwest Chad. Chad is already heavily affected by the war in neighboring Sudan, with more than 633,000 Sudanese seeking refuge in the country.
South Sudan
South Sudan is experiencing severe flooding, with predictions of above-average rainfall and record flooding from June to September. Continuous heavy rains since May, combined with controlled water releases from Lake Victoria, have caused the Nile River to rise significantly, affecting up to 472,000 people across the country.
As of Thursday, flooding has affected people in 26 of South Sudan's 78 counties. The regions affected include Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile, and Central Equatoria.
According to OCHA, these regions are already grappling with compounded challenges such as previous flooding, ongoing conflict, displacement, food insecurity, and the broader regional impact of the Sudanese war. South Sudan has received more than 788,000 people fleeing Sudan.
Projections indicate that flooding could affect up to 3.3 million people across the country during the peak of the rainy season between September and October, including communities still recovering from the devastating 2019-2022 floods that displaced at least 1 million people annually.
Niger
In Niger, this year's rainy season has so far been particularly devastating for the population. Over the past three months, flooding across the country - exacerbated by climate change - has forced more than 350,000 people from their homes, washed out roads, killed 217 people and injured 200 others. The floods have also killed some 17,000 livestock and destroyed more than 3,000 hectares of crops and 21.5 tons of food.
Nigeria
Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned that the death toll from severe flooding in the country will increase in September and October - the usual peak period for rainfall. Flooding has already killed more than 170 people and displaced hundreds of thousands in Nigeria this year.
According to the latest count from the National Emergency Management Agency's tracker, flooding has killed about 170 people and displaced about 205,000 in 28 of Nigeria's 36 states. Bauchi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger and Jigawa states are the worst affected.
The flooding was caused by unprecedented rainfall and the swollen Niger and Benue rivers. And officials fear more bad weather is on the way. Heavy rains have been battering Nigeria since August 20, causing flooding that has led to casualties and damage. The floods have also washed away thousands of hectares of farmland, worsening an already dire food security situation caused by widespread insecurity.
In 2022, Nigeria experienced its worst floods in a decade, when more than 4.4 million people were affected across the country. Hundreds of people were killed and millions displaced by above-average rainfall and floodwaters in Africa's most populous country.
Yemen
Even as attention has shifted to other global emergencies, Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Currently, 18.2 million people in the country, including 4.5 million displaced individuals, are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Recent catastrophic flooding in the Malhan district of Al Mahweet governorate, triggered by heavy rains and the bursting of three dams, has devastated entire communities.
Over the past month, floods have claimed 97 lives, injured many more, affected more than 56,000 family homes across 20 governorates, and displaced more than 1,000 families. Impassable roads isolate affected areas and hamper rescue efforts.
According to the UN, heavy rains, strong winds and associated flooding during Yemen's two annual rainy seasons have affected nearly 268,000 people since March.
Yemen is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. And it is also among the least prepared to mitigate or adapt to the impacts of natural hazards fueled by climate change as they become more frequent.
Myanmar
Since late June, torrential monsoon rains and overflowing rivers have submerged several states and regions in Myanmar, exacerbating already severe humanitarian needs and affecting an estimated 393,000 people.
The floods add to the already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, which is facing one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, with more than 18.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Fierce fighting between the military, which overthrew the democratically elected government in 2021, and ethnic armed organizations as well as armed opposition forces has led to alarming rates of displacement, hunger and threats to protection.
Bangladesh
Catastrophic flooding is wreaking havoc in southeastern Bangladesh. More than 5.8 million people, including two million children, have been affected in 11 districts, with many stranded without food or shelter. The floods have also caused significant damage to essential services.
The death toll and damage from flash floods caused by heavy rainfall in Bangladesh since August 20 continues to rise. At least 52 deaths have been reported, at least 502,501 people have been sheltered in 3,403 evacuation centers, and more than 1 million people are trapped in the floodwaters.
Following the flash floods, rescue operations are still underway, and the government and humanitarian organizations are providing only inadequate assistance.
Pakistan
Relentless monsoon rains have battered Pakistan since July, causing widespread destruction. The National Disaster Management Authority reports 250 deaths, with thousands displaced and nearly 5,000 homes destroyed. The worst-hit regions include Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with Punjab suffering the highest number of casualties.
Pakistan is considered one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. In 2022, devastating floods submerged a third of the country, affecting 33 million people, killing more than 1,700 people and damaging more than 2.2 million homes.
Other countries affected
Floods are among the most deadly natural disasters that strike many regions of the world each year. In recent days and weeks, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Guinea, Mali, Thailand, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Nepal, Cameroon, China and Libya have also been affected.
Earlier in 2024, several countries in East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and Burundi, were plagued by torrential rains and severe flooding, as was the central African country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In Afghanistan, unprecedented rainfall caused severe flooding in April and May this year, resulting in hundreds of deaths.