Floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster and occur when an overflow of water submerges land that is usually dry. Floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt or a storm surge from a tropical cyclone or tsunami in coastal areas. Floods can cause widespread devastation, resulting in loss of life and damages to personal property and critical public health infrastructure ...
Vast areas of central Europe are experiencing what is being called the worst flooding in more than 20 years, triggered by slow-moving Storm Boris. WHO/Europe has been reaching out to affected Member States and offering support, including health advice for communities.Several deaths have been reported, with numbers likely to rise as the full extent of the damage becomes clearer. Thousands have ...
In the third week of August 2024, heavy rainfall and upstream water releases caused significant flooding across multiple districts in Bangladesh, particularly affecting 11 districts in the eastern regions. The districts of Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Cumilla experienced the most severe impacts. According to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC), approximately 5.8 ...
In early September 2024, Typhoon Yagi impacted several countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region, leaving a trail of destruction with its intense rainfall and powerful winds, subsequent flooding and landslides. In the Philippines, the powerful typhoon was even followed by other typhoons, placing considerable pressure on local communities and the Government’s ...
Cyclonic Storm Ditwah made landfall on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast on 28 November 2025, leaving a major humanitarian crisis in its wake. More than 1.4 million people have been affected across all 25 districts. As of 2 December, authorities have confirmed 410 deaths, with 336 people still reported missing. Nearly 233 000 people have been displaced as homes and key infrastructure suffered ...
Climate change is intensifying extreme weather globally and Bosnia and Herzegovina is reeling from some of the most severe flooding in a decade. Heavy rains triggered catastrophic floods, particularly in the southern and central regions, devastating communities in Jablanica, Kiseljak, Kreševo, Fojnica and Vareš. Rising waters and landslides destroyed infrastructure, severed access to crucial ...
Linda Juhász-Horváth, Technical Officer for Environment and Health at the WHO Country Office in Hungary and a mother of 2, has always understood the delicate balance of living close to nature. For the past decade, she and her husband have made their home on a houseboat on the Danube River in Hungary. The couple built their life on the water, embracing an existence surrounded by nature, far ...
The most common risks associated with flooding is the contamination of drinking-water facilities, and standing water, which can be a breeding site for mosquitoes, bring chemical hazards, and cause injuries. Protect your health during a flood by:
Severe rainfall across northern Italy and central Europe, including parts of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia, has caused numerous rivers to burst their banks, leading to the death of at least 13 people in Italy and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes. The extreme weather has also reportedly led to landslides and the destruction of roads, hampering emergency ...
Overview Heavy rains induced by El Nino led to extensive flooding in the Horn of Africa, displacing over 4 million people, damaging infrastructure and affecting human health, with more than 350 fatalities reported (Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia).
