By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK (IDN) — Water stress, withering droughts and devastating floods are hitting African communities, economies and ecosystems hard. Rainfall patterns are disrupted, glaciers are disappearing and key lakes are shrinking.
In South Africa, the extreme rainfall that triggered one of the country’s deadliest disasters of this century was made more intense and more likely because of climate change.
More than 400 people died as a result of the floods, which also destroyed more than 12,000 houses and forced an estimated 40,000 people from their homes.