Queensland flood - Unfortunate natural disaster or product of climate change???

[nicko31]

Heart goes out to all those suffering from the floods in Brisbane today.
Is this one of those natural disasters that just happens, or a product of climate change that is fuelled by a coal export economy Australia is so keen to profit from?

 

[Stoo82]

There have been 8 flash floods in Queensland in the last 100 years, the last in 1974. This is what happens when you build on flood plains.

With respect, climate change.

 

[casbom]

It's due to la Nina, all that warm water is just a breeding ground for strong storm systems. Obviously it's a bit more extreme than normal La Nina years though!

 

[Pantani]

The severity of flash floods these days is worse due to the urbanisation of environments. In short concrete allows for faster run off of rain water meaning flood waters tend to rise faster. Add in the fact that people want to live by rivers as it is more picturesque. This is also not forgetting the taming of rivers throughout the world. Basically put most rivers are damned in and controlled, this is absolutely fine for most flood seasons but the once every 100 year floods are much more severe because the waters have escaped from confinement. These floods have nothing to do with climate change or La Nina and all to do with man's futile attempts to control nature.

 

[nicko31]

I have to say if it wasn't for the man made dams upstream from Brisbane things would be even worse. The Coral Sea is at its highest ever recorded temperature and record rainfall, you can't rule out climate change...

 

[mistahclarke]

BBC News - Flooding in Rio de Janeiro state claims scores of lives

140 have died in Brazil due to flooding too.

 

[nicko31]

and 200,000 lost homes in Sri Lanka. Developing world always gets hit harder

 

[beorhthelm]

I have to say if it wasn't for the man made dams upstream from Brisbane things would be even worse. The Coral Sea is at its highest ever recorded temperature and record rainfall, you can't rule out climate change...

no, you cant rule it out, however as pointed out above this is a regular, cyclical event that has happened before.

people live near rivers, or on flood plains specifically, because its easier to build on flat land.

 

[Fungus]

I have to say if it wasn't for the man made dams upstream from Brisbane things would be even worse.

I understood one of the main threats now is because they'll have to discharge a huge amount of water from the dams to stop them overflowing...

 

[Jonno]

You know, everyone thinks that these sorts of events are more common these days but that just may be a product of global 24-hours news channels and other media who report on them constantly. In the 1970s or 80s, I doubt the huge floods which are currently happening in Sri Lanka now, for example, would even have made it onto any news in this country.
Nowadays, almost everything gets reported hence the feeling that things are always getting worse and more intense.

 

[Hunting 784561]

The climate is constantly changing, and has done for billions of years. It was changing before humans were ever a feature of Planet Earth, and will continue to do so long after we are gone.

La Nina in the Pacific caused the Brisbane storms, but as the above poster said it been happening for a long time. The Jet Stream is also off it's usual course.

 

[Dirk lovelace]

I think Comedy Steve knows the answer to your question.

 

[backson]

and 200,000 lost homes in Sri Lanka. Developing world always gets hit harder

And reported less, sadly

 

[withdeanwombat]

This is a once in a hundred year event.The last (higher ) flood was in 1974.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

BBC News - Flooding in Rio de Janeiro state claims scores of lives

140 have died in Brazil due to flooding too.

237 people I last heard. Doesn't seem to be on the News very much though. I wonder why

 

[Curious Orange]

This is a once in a hundred year event.The last (higher ) flood was in 1974.

'74 peaked a whole metre higher according to the news.

I get a bit annoyed with all the climate change/natural disaster fear-mongering that goes on. As previously pointed out climate changes happen irrespective of what humans are up to, and natural disasters happen all the time - so if you build your house on a flood plain or on the side of a volcano, or near a fault line you shouldn't be entirely surprised if you are the victim of one.

I am not saying that man should go around willy-nilly polluting the planet, as looking after your environment is patently a sensible thing to do. I just think there is too much hand-wringing about stuff that just happens.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

This is a once in a hundred year event.The last (higher ) flood was in 1974.

The hurricane (sorry , great storm) in 1987 was a once in a 200 year event but I bet we'll get another one a whole lot sooner.