Transforming Storms Threaten Coastal Cities Like Hai Phong and Bangkok
A joint scientific study published on July 31 reveals that storms in Southeast Asia are forming closer to the coast, strengthening more rapidly, and lasting longer on land due to climate change.
Heavy rains causing flooding in the capital Manila, Philippines – (Photo: AFP).
Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, along with Rowan University and the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, analyzed over 64,000 historical and future modeled storms from the 19th century to the end of the 21st century to arrive at these findings.
Published in the partner journal of Nature, Climate and Atmospheric Science, the study highlights significant changes in the behavior of tropical storms in Southeast Asia. According to the study, in addition to forming closer to the coast, storms are also moving slower on land, which increases the risk of damage.
The research emphasizes that coastal communities and cities like Hai Phong and Thailand’s capital Bangkok are facing unprecedented threats from prolonged and intensified ‘transforming’ storms.
“Climate change, with ocean warming, has directly affected the trajectory of storms. As they move over warmer waters, storms draw in more moisture and heat, leading to stronger winds, heavier rainfall, and severe flooding upon landfall,” warned Dr. Benjamin Horton, director of the Singapore Earth Observatory at Nanyang Technological University.
Highly populated areas along Southeast Asia’s coastline are the hardest hit. According to Dr. Andra Garner, the lead author of the study, immediate action is required on two fronts.
- First, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the impact of future storms.
- Second, enhance coastal protection against the increasingly severe impacts of storms.
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