4 ms·

Climate change is real and has changed the temporal distribution of rainfall, often increasing the interval between rainfalls, while also increasing the amount

Climate change is real and has changed the temporal distribution of rainfall, often increasing the interval between rainfalls, while also increasing the amount that falls, during rainy periods. Longer durations of 'no rain' cause the ground harden to a much less porous, concrete-like surface that cannot absorb the rain, when it does come, fast enough. So the water pools and flows, causing flood conditions.

nerdponx 4y ago
The article also blames high amounts of glacial melt (to the point of bursting through glacial dams) sending a lot of extra water through waterways in a short amount of time.
- sremani 4y ago
  With all due respect why are Glaciers melting in August.. or July or June. April and May are hot as hell in Indian Subcontinent. edit: glaciers melt in summer, I am surprised why they are melting in rainy season. No matter how you vote, just explain why this odd behavior.
  - ajmurmann 4y ago
    Why is that odd? Ice melts when it's warm.
    - sremani 4y ago
      Because you would have signs of glacial melt ahead of time. You would know in may if not June. Not in end of august.
aeternum 4y ago
Except it has happened about every 12 years throughout history The ancients even created a name for it: La Nina.
- handoflixue 4y ago
  Huh, I didn't believe you at first but apparently there was indeed very severe flooding in 2010, and again in 1992. That said, back in 1992 this only affected 3 million people, and now it's 30 million. The population of the country only doubled over the same time span, so it seems like this year's flooding is easily five times worse than before
  - MrRiddle 4y ago
    Maybe the increase of population was mostly in affected areas, not 5 times worse.
  - pengaru 4y ago
    > back in 1992 this only affected 3 million people, and now it's 30 million. The population of the country only doubled over the same time span, so it seems like this year's flooding is easily five times worse than before Or the distribution of people living in the flood plane drastically changed in that period. See my other comment @ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32653203 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32653203
  - hahaitsfunny 4y ago
  - piceas 4y ago
    Land-use matters. I don't have a good link but there has been reporting on the topic. e.g. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-environment-forests-feature-idUSKCN1R21CW https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-environment-fore...
- fiftyfifty 4y ago
  Except this is our third La Nina year in a row, the first time that's ever happened: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wmo-forecasts-first-triple-dip-la-nina-century-2022-08-31/ https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wmo-forecasts-f...

nerdponx 4y ago

The article also blames high amounts of glacial melt (to the point of bursting through glacial dams) sending a lot of extra water through waterways in a short amount of time.

sremani 4y ago
With all due respect why are Glaciers melting in August.. or July or June. April and May are hot as hell in Indian Subcontinent. edit: glaciers melt in summer, I am surprised why they are melting in rainy season. No matter how you vote, just explain why this odd behavior.
- ajmurmann 4y ago
  Why is that odd? Ice melts when it's warm.
  - sremani 4y ago
    Because you would have signs of glacial melt ahead of time. You would know in may if not June. Not in end of august.

aeternum 4y ago

Except it has happened about every 12 years throughout history The ancients even created a name for it: La Nina.

handoflixue 4y ago
Huh, I didn't believe you at first but apparently there was indeed very severe flooding in 2010, and again in 1992. That said, back in 1992 this only affected 3 million people, and now it's 30 million. The population of the country only doubled over the same time span, so it seems like this year's flooding is easily five times worse than before
- MrRiddle 4y ago
  Maybe the increase of population was mostly in affected areas, not 5 times worse.
- pengaru 4y ago
  > back in 1992 this only affected 3 million people, and now it's 30 million. The population of the country only doubled over the same time span, so it seems like this year's flooding is easily five times worse than before Or the distribution of people living in the flood plane drastically changed in that period. See my other comment @ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32653203 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32653203
- hahaitsfunny 4y ago
- piceas 4y ago
  Land-use matters. I don't have a good link but there has been reporting on the topic. e.g. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-environment-forests-feature-idUSKCN1R21CW https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-environment-fore...
fiftyfifty 4y ago
Except this is our third La Nina year in a row, the first time that's ever happened: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wmo-forecasts-first-triple-dip-la-nina-century-2022-08-31/ https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wmo-forecasts-f...