Deadly floods that swept across West Africa last month were made five times more likely by climate change than they would have been in the late 19th century, scientists have found.
Torrential rain struck several coastal countries at the start of the rainy season in late June, inundating densely populated cities and leaving nearly 100 people dead.
The World Weather Attribution (WWA) group described the three-day deluge as “intense”, warning in a study that such rainfall is now about five times “more likely to occur today compared to a pre-industrial climate.”
Once regarded as rare, similar episodes can now be expected every two to four years across the region, researchers said.
The worst of the rain fell between 20 and 22 June, when “exceptionally widespread and persistent downpours” battered coastal communities stretching from Ivory Coast to Nigeria, the study added.
Several cities received more than 140 millimetres of rain in under 24 hours, swamping drainage networks and unleashing sudden flash floods.
At least 59 people died in Ivory Coast, while 34 were killed in Ghana and five in Togo, according to the study.
Researchers said rapidly expanding coastal cities face heightened danger as urban development pushes further into areas already prone to flooding.
They urged Gulf of Guinea states to “urgently adapt for future extremes” by strengthening drainage infrastructure, expanding early-warning systems and providing safer housing.
