Horror, chaos, destruction, mud and loss have hit portions of Western Europe recently, after a deluge that was unlike anything the continent has seen in over 100 years What does it mean for the future?

1. What the Current Flooding in Europe Means for the Future
Horror, chaos, destruction, mud and loss have hit portions of Western Europe recently,
after a deluge that was unlike anything the continent has seen in over 100 years.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly said the German language almost did not
have the words to describe that level of devastation and Pope Francis prayed for
survivors and for those who died.
Nearly 200 people lost their lives when entire towns and infrastructure like bridges and
roads were swept away by the rising waters, as first responders and military personnel
fought against time in the attempt to save lives.
Now, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands face a difficult and costly task of
rebuilding. Germany has reserved €30 billion euros for the hard work ahead.
The disaster that mobilized residents, first responders, politicians and religious leaders
is also proving perplexing to scientists.
“As the magnitude of the destruction becomes clear, European scientists are wrestling
with how such damage could happen in some of the world’s wealthiest and most
technologically advanced countries, despite major investments in flood forecasting and
preparation catalyzed by previous inundations,” according to Science Magazine. “And
they are examining whether climate change helped fuel the disaster—and what that
might mean for the future.”
What experts are discovering is that hydrological, climactic, and social factors came into
play to essentially create deadly results. Further study is needed, but preliminary
theories include climate warming that can “supercharge rainstorms,” as well as disaster
plans that merely focused on large rivers and not on the small tributaries that were hit
the hardest.
Heavier rainfall is often produced by warmer air, which is capable of holding more
moisture. In a mere 80 years, flood damage in Europe could cost nearly €48 billion per
year, a marked increase from the typical €7.8 billion of modern times, according to
Science Magazine. Further, if mitigation efforts are not put into motion, the number of
people impacted by climate change spurred flooding could be close to 350,000.
Flooding in European countries has been a focus for scientists for decades, with
hydrologists and urban flood management experts studying areas of Europe and
coming up with early warning systems. While the European Flood Alert System was
activated and experts gave ample warning for the recent storms, things still went terribly
wrong.
As communities throughout Eastern Europe begin the tedious and painstaking task of
rebuilding, scientists begin their deep dive into the receding flood waters.

2. The EU HYDRATE research project noted that improved understanding of flash flooding
could be achieved through post-flood observations, re-examination of weather radar
data and the use of combined weather and hydrological modelling.
The study also outlined the expected future of climate change in Europe. The floods will
become worse, more lives will be lost, and the costs will become greater.
The European Commission Science for Environmental Policy focused on flooding in
June of 2013 and a number of scenarios were predicted based on the potential rise in
temperature. With one such model suggesting that by 2100, climate change might lead
to annual damages in the EU of €14 billion to €21.5 billion just from river flooding alone.
Those findings also came with a warning that the study potentially underestimates
impacts of climate change due to uncertainties in modeling and the “exclusion of
potential impacts from possible climate catastrophes and non-market impacts, such as
ecosystems and extreme weather.”
All the elements came together to create catastrophe in Europe, that may forever
change the landscape and how scientists view the current and impending climate
change crisis.