Environmental Science · Global and Planetary Change
People considering whether to leave flood-prone coastal communities weigh disastrous flooding and rising costs alongside crime, healthcare and proximity to family and friends. In a survey of 182 respondents, most said they would not relocate, while others said they would move immediately or in the future.
A modelling study suggests that an earthquake on New Zealand’s Titri fault could increase flood exposure in the Taieri Basin by changing the ground and disrupting drainage. In one simulated rupture, Dunedin Airport was inundated to depths of 0.3–1.5 metres during an intense flood event.
In the Khiav Chai River watershed in northwest Iran, annual precipitation increased from 1970 to 2022 while streamflow declined. Rainfall became more evenly distributed through the year, but river flow became more concentrated in particular periods, consistent with snow dynamics altering when water reaches the river.
Researchers reconstructed how an upstream glacial lake’s outburst triggered the failure of a second lake, devastating Thame Village in Nepal on 16 August 2024. They estimate that the flood released about 600,000 cubic metres of water and reached the village within 22 to 32 minutes.
A study of 407 households in Hamakuya Village, South Africa, found that flooding damaged crops and transport links, disrupting food access. In 2023, 70.3% of households reported some level of food insecurity, while many responded by rationing meals and relying on social networks.
A study of 997 residents in Japan’s Kyushu Region found that perceiving more false flood warnings was linked to a lower likelihood of evacuation. The link was weaker among people who felt positive emotions, such as being pleased or at ease, after false alarms.
