Extreme weather

In May, Cyclone Alia caused widespread flooding and crop damage in coastal regions from Bangladesh’s Khulna district to Sagar Island in West Bengal, India. About 2.3 million people were displaced. Because of better warning systems and shelters, there were only 210 deaths compared to 500,000 in 1970 and 3,500 in 2007.

Torrential rains in Australia caused flooding in Queensland and on the east coast of New South Wales, closing the Sydney-Brisbane highway for a few days.

Across five provinces in Afghanistan, flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain killed 94, left thousands homeless and damaged more than 100 bridges and 600 kilometers of road.

In northern Brazil, heavy rains from April through May resulted in widespread flooding and mudslides, killing 64 and leaving 313,000 homeless. On May 28 a dam burst in Piaui state, killing five and destroying 500 homes. Meanwhile, southern Brazil is suffering drought.