Flood risks will affect Pakistan almost double by 2040: report

MIAMI: Researchers said global warming is expected to unleash more rain, affecting million more people from river flooding, particularly in the United States and parts of Asia, Africa and central Europe within the next 25 years on Wednesday, reported a local English daily.

Asia would get hit by the highest rate of river flooding, and 56 million to 70 million people will be affected by 2040.

For instance, Pakistan will observe almost a doubling in high-end flood risk affecting 11m people, unless protective measures are taken by 2040.

In South America, the number of people who would get affected by flooding risk will increase from six to 12m, in Africa, from 25m to 34m, in Germany from 100,000 to 700,000 and in North America, the number of people could rise 100,000 to one million.

“More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks,” said lead author Sven Willner from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

The increase in river flood risks over the next few decades is being driven by the number of greenhouse gases already emitted into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.

More heat-trapping pollutants surround the Earth, more moisture is held in the air, leading to more rainfall, whereas, cutting the emissions is crucial to reducing flood risks for future generations.