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Report: Argentina's deadly rainfalls are more likely to occur in a world that is warming.

Report: Argentina's deadly rainfalls are more likely to occur in a world that is warming.

Climate change was partly responsible for the heavy rains which caused catastrophic flooding and 16 deaths in central Argentina earlier this month. They could be more common in a warm world.

World Weather Attribution's analysis found that the extreme heat that preceded the floods created a mass of warmer, more humid air, which clashed against a cold front coming from Argentina's Patagonian Region, causing torrential rainfall in Bahia Blanca. This port city is located about 550 kilometers (340 miles), south of Buenos Aires.

In a Wednesday press conference, Juan Rivera, a scientist at the Argentine Institute for Snow Research, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences, said that "the indicators of heat and moisture (leading to the flooding) would have virtually been impossible without climate changes."

Rivera stated that multiple days of temperatures exceeding 40 C (104 F), including a humid hot wave that preceded the rains and increased humidity from Amazon, led to an accumulating moisture that dumped over 300 mm (11.8 inch) of rain in Bahia Blanca within just 6 hours.

"These floods are unprecedented in the National Meteorological Service stations," Rivera said, adding that the cold front had lingered for several hours over the region before it moved on.

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of these extreme temperatures.

Scientists predict that 2025 will also be one of the hottest years on record.

While the report stated that they were able deduce a connection between human-induced climate changes and high temperatures, a link with heavy rainfall events proved to be less conclusive because of discrepancies in global meteorological data.

Friederike Otto is the co-leader of World Weather Attribution. She said, "Don't be fooled" by these uncertainties. As the world continues its warming trend, the chances of multiple events occurring simultaneously or in succession will increase. We need to prepare for this.

The report stated that Bahia Blanca was rapidly urbanizing and lacked the infrastructure necessary to cope with heavy rain. The report noted that the region would face increased risks in a world warming and the aging populations, urban development, and high population density will only increase the risks.

Rivera said that the area also suffered a destructive storm in 2023, which brought winds of more than 150 kph.

The two extreme events shared common characteristics linked to climate change caused by humans: more extreme heat and more moist air, which fuelled the storms, Rivera explained. He added that more research is needed to fully understand the risks associated with a warming planet. (Reporting and editing by Sandra Maler; Alexander Villegas)

(source: Reuters)