Climate change played a significant role in the extreme events that led to a devastating flood in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, on March 7.
With rainfall doubling the annual average, at least 16 people died and two girls remain missing. More than a thousand residents were evacuated due to severe damages, estimated at over 400 million dollars.
Influence of climate change on floods
According to a report from World Weather Attribution, the extreme heat preceding the flood “would have been virtually impossible without climate change”.
Juan Rivera, a researcher at the Argentine Institute of Snow and Glacier Sciences and part of the report, pointed out that climate change favors warm and humid conditions that, combined with cold fronts, generate more severe floods.
Regarding the event itself that affected Bahía Blanca, it is known that a collision of warm and cold air masses unleashed massive rainfall of 300 mm in eight hours.
The drainage systems, such as the Maldonado canal and the Napostá stream, were insufficient to handle the amount of water. This was compounded by a soil factor: the land in that area was already saturated with water from another intense rainfall the previous week. Infiltration capacity was reduced to a minimum.
Previous events and repercussions
Bahía Blanca had already faced extreme phenomena in December 2023, with winds exceeding 150 km/h, reflecting a pattern linked to global warming.
The UN confirmed that between 2023-2024, the global temperature increase exceeded 1.5 °C compared to the pre-industrial era, exacerbating climate risks.
This event underscores the need to adapt urban infrastructure and mitigate the impacts of climate change in vulnerable regions like Bahía Blanca.
Cover photo: EFE/ Pablo Presti
Do you already know our YouTube channel? Subscribe!
