Bruna Alves
Research lead covering environment and sustainability
Floods - statistics & facts
Floods are the most common natural disaster worldwide. A flood is defined as an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. Flash flooding occurs when heavy rainfall over a short period of time hits areas with insufficient drainage. Other causes of flood events include high tides, storm surges, river overflow, and snow melt. In 2022, there were 176 flood disasters recorded worldwide. With climate change driving sea level rise and increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, it is estimated that the global population exposed to flooding incidents will increase by 24 percent in a 1.5-degree-Celsius warming scenario.
This is part of a series on the effects of climate change.
While Asia is particularly exposed, no region remains immune to the devastating impacts of flooding. In July 2021, Europe saw catastrophic floods, with river and flash floods in Germany and Belgium becoming the 10th-deadliest in the continent in the past century. As of 2022, around 20 percent of the German population was exposed to flood risk. In the Netherlands, this figure stood at roughly 60 percent, the highest in Europe.
This is part of a series on the effects of climate change.
Most affected regions
In 2023, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Myanmar, were the countries most exposed to flood risk. In fact, six of the top 10 countries in terms of exposure to flood risk were in Asia, in particular in the south and eastern regions of the continent. A combination of low average elevation, high incidence of tropical storms and rainfall, and underdeveloped flood protection infrastructure makes these countries especially vulnerable.While Asia is particularly exposed, no region remains immune to the devastating impacts of flooding. In July 2021, Europe saw catastrophic floods, with river and flash floods in Germany and Belgium becoming the 10th-deadliest in the continent in the past century. As of 2022, around 20 percent of the German population was exposed to flood risk. In the Netherlands, this figure stood at roughly 60 percent, the highest in Europe.
The effects of floods
Floods accounted for 16 percent of weather-, climate-, and water-related deaths recorded between 1970 and 2021, ranking behind droughts and tropical cyclones. In the last decade alone, there were more than 50,000 flood-related deaths around the globe, averaging 14 deaths per day. In addition to the loss of life, floods can destroy homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure, causing significant economic loss. In 2022, economic losses from floods amounted to 66 billion U.S. dollars, second only to tropical cyclones in terms of damage from natural disasters. The largest economic losses due to floods worldwide are estimated to be uninsured.
