The Stream, June 13, 2019: UK Flood Defenses Prevent $1.4bn in Yearly Damages, Analysis Shows

The Global Rundown

Flood defenses in the United Kingdom are preventing $1.4 billion in damages each year, a new study estimates. Overwhelming heat and drought drive families out of rural India. A deluge in southern China earlier this month left 49 people dead, authorities say. Australia’s federal court rules that the government did not properly assess the possible environmental impacts of the Adani mine water pipeline project. Villagers in Nicaragua struggle to cope with chronic drought and occasional flooding.

“We lost everything in those years, our whole harvests of beans, plus rice and corn. Sometimes we would skip one or two meals to make the food last longer. I don’t know how we managed to survive.” –Blanca Landero Betarco, a resident of La Grecia, Nicaragua, in an area of the country known as the Dry Corridor. The 2014-2016 El Niño devastated crops in the corridor, and farmers have been unable to fully recover. Now, flash flooding is also becoming a problem in the harsh region. Deutsche Welle

Latest WaterNews from Circle of Blue

Pesticides, Antibiotics, Heavy Metals Tarnish Europe’s Waterways — New chemicals and medicines are being developed, then leaching into waterways, faster than researchers can study them.

With Heavy Spring Rains, Lake Erie Algal Bloom Forecast Gets Worse and Worse — The latest Lake Erie forecast projects a large buildup of harmful cyanobacteria this summer. It should be one of the largest blooms in the beleaguered lake since 2002. A bigger bloom, however, does not necessarily mean a more toxic bloom, researchers caution.

By The Numbers

$1.4 billion (£1.1 billion) Amount of damages prevented each year by flood barriers and defenses in the United Kingdom, according to a new analysis by the Association of British Insurers. The group arrived at the figure after modeling thousands of different flooding scenarios with and without flood barriers. The Guardian

49 People who died after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in southern China earlier this month. The widespread flooding forced 300,000 people to evacuate and has led to an estimated 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) in direct economic losses. The New York Times

Science, Studies, and Reports

Suffocating heat and drought are gripping parts of India, with temperatures in the capital Delhi reaching 48 °C (118 °F), a record-high for June. The grievous conditions are forcing many villagers to flee due to water shortages. In an area south of Mumbai, an estimated 90 percent of the population has abandoned their homes. The Guardian

On the Radar

Earlier this year, the Australian Conservation Foundation lodged an appeal in federal court alleging that the government had failed to adequately assess the environmental impacts of proposed water infrastructure for the Adani Carmichael coal mine. The government has now conceded to the charges, and says it will reassess the proposal and reopen public comment on the project. The Guardian

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter