Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods… Extreme storms and epic floods unleash destruction on an unimaginable scale. Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, Dorian, Typhoon Haiyan, floods in Pakistan, hundreds of tornadoes in the Southeast and Midwest U.S. stand as testimony to the escalating threat from climate change. Extreme weather does not spare any region: in Germany nearly 200 people died and many more went missing; in China, as the heaviest rains in 1,000 years, deadly floods affected more that 1.2 million people; in Tennessee, dozens died as historic rainfall inundated communities with flash floods that swept houses and lives away; In India, the state of Maharashtra was hit by the heaviest July rainfall in four decades; in Pakistan flooding covered more than one-third of the country, creating an unimaginable humanitarian crisis The tornado season peaks in the spring and the hurricane season follows in June and extends through November. The tornado outbreak in Kentucky, Tennessee and four other states, destroying entire towns and killing more than 80 people, illustrated the threat level of this terrifying force of nature. As the hurricanes form in the warming ocean and storm cells produce more tornadoes and flash flooding, it’s past time to Get Ready Now. At Americares we see up close the staggering magnitude of extreme weather losses for families and communities – the personal history and common goods. Medicine security and access to health services become early casualties as emergency responders rush to provide the basics of food, shelter, clean water and hygiene in the first days. We know that immediate access to primary health services, including mental health support, along with basic medicines and medical supplies will save lives and restore health. Working with local partners, governments and other nonprofits to meet immediate needs, we then help survivors rebuild health facilities and services and restore hope for the future. No matter where extreme weather disasters strike, we are there and together with our partners, even in the worst times, we can make health happen. Click on the arrow to see how we have responded to the worst of hurricanes.
Extreme Heat, Drought & Deadly Wildfires Extreme heat kills nearly twice as many Americans each year as tornadoes and almost three times more than hurricanes. It is particularly deadly for the elderly and the poor. Countries in Southeast Asia (Vietnam and Thailand) are already experiencing another year of temperatures over 110°F for many days at a time. Air pollution on top of record temperatures substantially increases the deadly health risks for these affected countries. Parts of India and Pakistan have been experiencing weeks of a dangerous combination of heat and humidity (often referred to as “wet bulb conditions”) which limits the human body’s ability to cool itself. Western Canada and the U.S. are facing an early season heat wave that may rival the record extreme event of 2021. Extreme weather is manifesting itself in record drought conditions that produce famine in some parts of the world. Here in the U.S. drought followed by high winds and then combined with such phenomena as insect infestations in forest lands and manmade causes including land management and building code practices or electrical accidents have created the worst wildfires on record in California and in parts of the Southwest in the last three years. Visit the wildfire map for the latest fire activity. Check out the U.S. Drought Monitor to see the true extent of current drought conditions. The water crisis in the Southwest continues even after a heavier snow season. One season of precipitation does not make up for years of severe drought. The fire season has become a year round threat in the U.S. In 2022, wildfires burned over 7 million acres with nearly 750,000 acres in September alone. Early rains provided relief in California and kept the totals below the previous two years but such deviations from the new normal are considered temporary. These fires, however, resulted in fatalities, the evacuation of many people, and numerous structures damaged or threatened. Additionally, wildfire smoke has resulted in unhealthy air quality across the western US. And in another twist of extreme weather as events intersect, to start the new year “atmospheric rivers” brought record floods and snow in California to areas already ravaged by drought and wildfires and creating the potential for deadly mudslides. Americares has partners in all the affected states and has conducted wildfire response activities annually. Climate change continues to intensify the deadly results of extreme weather events. (Photo by David Royal)