Floods were swept by Chattanooga, Tennessee and other parts of Hamilton County, killing at least three people and missing at least one person, the New York Times reported.
“I have seen floods throughout my province,” said Seriff Austin Garrett, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. “It is usually concentrated in one area. This is extremely widespread. … I have never seen it that way, this widespread in so many areas and influence on travel as it is.”
Civil servants urged the locals to 'practice extreme caution', according to the Associated Press.
What happens?
Disruptions caused flooding over the southeast of Tennessee, causing roads and overthrowing trees to close.
A family of three was killed after a tree fell on their vehicle in East Ridge, a suburb of Chattanooga.
“They died on the spot,” said Amy Maxwell, a spokesperson for the Hamilton County Office or Emergency Management, by time. “It is clearly due to the loose soil that ensured that the tree fell.”
Another person was declared missing after they tried to cross a flooded road and was not visible since then.
“Lord, have mercy,” said Paul Broughton of nearby Cleveland, who observed first -hand while the waters got up and flooded a road, according to the Times Free Press. “Small rain here and a little rain there, and suddenly it just started to come down, and … it was ruthless.”
From about 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, the Lovell -Veld of Chattanooga was flooded with 6 centimeters of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
The flood was too much for the flood mitigation measures of the area to resist in such a short period, which led to widespread floods.
Why does it seem that there have been so many floods lately?
Scientists have long warned that pumping large amounts of heat pollution into the atmosphere will cause global temperatures to rise, making extreme weather conditions more serious.
This is particularly the case when it comes to the intensity of rain showers. Warmer air can absorb more moisture than cooler air. When the water falls on the ground from this more saturated air, this results in more rainfall or snowfall per hour, which taxes the infrastructure of the flood mitigation.
According to a study by Climate Central, 88% of the 144 American cities have experienced an increased rainfall intensity since 1970. Among those cities, the rainfall per hour increased by 15%.
Whether the natural (such as Wetlands) or humans made (storm drains), flood mitigation measures have a finite capacity for how much water they can absorb at the same time. When that capacity is exceeded, flooding results.
This problem is particularly pronounced in cities, where a widespread paving does not water anywhere, except for storm drains with limited capacity.
Floods take lives, destroying houses and companies, ruining crops and kill cattle, which means that insurance premiums and food prices go far beyond flood zones.
What is being done about floods?
In the short term, local municipalities and owners of real estate can take steps to increase the resilience of their communities, houses and companies. For example, flood walls can be less likely to be broken, while planting more trees and having more exposed soil in urban areas to enhance rainwater, which relieves the pressure on storm drains.
In the long term, however, the only way is to turn the trend of more intense rainfall, to drastically reduce the amount of heat pollution that enters the atmosphere.
To make a difference, you can use your voice and support candidates who share your environmental priorities. Things go one step further, you can reduce the pollution of the planet heating by controlling an electric vehicle or installing solar panels on your house.
Become a member of our free newsletter for Good news And Useful tipsAnd don't miss this cool list with simple ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
