HEAVY RAINS, FLOODING AND WATER DAMAGE SPIN-OFFS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE—-AND IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE
By KABS KANU
It would seem like the rainy seasons are becoming more intense and rain events last far longer than they used to be, with rains falling whole day and night, keeping nervous people living in flood-prone zones awake all night.
When we were growing up in Sierra Leone, we used to love and enjoy the rains. First of all, when it rained whole day, our parents do not send us out on chores and we made good use of the gloomy but delightful rains to relax and read novels and magazines . As we grew up and became more independent, we spent rainy days doing other things that brought intense enjoyment. For some people it was sex. For others , it was restful to just cuddle up, watch TV and enjoy that delicious hot pepper soup with crabs and lobsters ( Liberia ) .
Things have changed in many parts of Africa. Today, instead of laying back and enjoying the rains, people spend the time worrying a lot, dreading the outcome of the rains—-heavy flooding that brings debris and all kinds of trash floating into the streets and homes, and flooding houses , forcing inhabitants to flee for safety , even lose their lives or spend eternity bailing out water from flooded rooms and parlors or seeking refuge up roofs.
More seriously, the heavy rains at times cause mudslides which take a heavy tool on lives.
This is what is happening. Because we have cut all the trees, removed the forests and degraded the environment, the climate is getting warmer. More warm weather produces more moisture that transform into more rains.According to scientists, when we have above-normal precipitation due to excess moisture reaching the sky, we have more rains and heavier ones and because we have chopped down the trees and forests , the ground and slopes have lost their stability and this results in mudslides.
The rains are so heavy they overwhelm the sewage system. The gutters overflow and the garbage we now throw into these gutters are set adrift by the floods and this is why the streets of Freetown look so nasty with all kinds of trash and debris—bottles, plastic bags and even sewage—when the rains let up.
As man continues on the path of destroying the environment, the situation is going to get worse—Rising maximum temperatures, rising maximum moisture in the atmosphere, rising sea levels, higher ocean temperatures, rising heavy precipitation ( Rain, hail , snow ) flooding and more environmental destruction.
The UN and world governments are trying hard to reverse climate change. We will look at measures being taken when next I write on climate.
For now, get used to the tempestuous weather and its impacts.
