In recent days, catastrophic floods have ravaged Somalia and neighboring countries, leading to 29 deaths and displacing over 300,000 people from their homes.
The situation is dire, with many still stranded by the floodwaters. Kenya has also been severely affected, with 15 fatalities reported.
According to Nazanine Moshiri from the International Crisis Group, the floods are the result of two weather phenomena: El Niño and the Indian Ocean dipole.
Both are currently causing higher-than-average sea surface temperatures, which have intensified the monsoon rains in East Africa, creating some of the worst flooding the region has seen in decades. This disaster follows a severe drought, exacerbating the situation with excessive surface water runoff.
Devastating floods displace thousands in East Africa, while Tokyo breaks heat records and global temperatures reach unprecedented levelsMeanwhile, Tokyo has experienced record-breaking heat, with temperatures soaring to 27.5°C on November 7, making it the hottest November day since records began in 1875.
This surpasses the previous record of 27.3°C set in 1923. Japan has had an unusually warm autumn and a hot summer, with Tokyo experiencing a record 142 days of temperatures exceeding 25°C this year.
The meteorological agency attributes this extreme heat to a combination of El Niño and global warming, predicting that these high temperatures might continue into December. This mild winter is expected to bring less snowfall than usual, disappointing those visiting winter resorts.
Additionally, out-of-season sunflower blooms have been reported in Chiba, and Tokyo’s ginkgo trees, known for their autumn foliage, have yet to turn yellow.
October 2023 has also been notable for record-breaking global temperatures, with both land and ocean surface temperatures reaching new highs, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. This marks the fifth consecutive month of record warmth, making it likely that 2023 will be the hottest year on record.