Human Causes of Flooding - Climate Change and Global Warming

Global warming has been blamed fr what some claim is an increasing frequency of flooding. There is evidence that average sea temperatures have risen and this rise has been blamed for the increasing frequency and severity of tropical revolving sotrms in the Caribbean. Such storm bring heavy rainfall and storm surges along the coastlines of countries lying in their path. In spring 2005, scientist reported that average sea temperatures were 3 degrees Celsuis above normal and predicted that the 2005 hurricane season in the Caribbean and southern states of the USA would be particularly savage. This proved to be the case. notable hurricanes included Katrina, which led to the flooding of New Orleans.

It is predicted that global warming will result in reduced rainfall in some areas, but in other, such as western Europe rainfall totals might increase. higher temperatures will result in increased evaporation over the seas and oceans, leading to greater precipitation. Such an increase will inevitably cause more rivers to flood, particularly since most floodplains have become heavily urbanised over the last two centuries.

Global warming could lead to the melting of the polar ice caps. One major consequence of this would be a rise in sea level, so floodplains lying close to the present sea levels would be at risk from flooding. The major deltas of the world, such as those of the Nile, the Mississippi and the Ganges-Brahmaptura, would be at particular risk.

Reference: http://www.acegeography.com/causes-of-flooding.html