From deadly floods in California to devastating wildfires in Chile, scientists warn the world is unprepared for the climate disasters that are striking with increasing frequency as human-driven global warming continues to break records.
The hottest year on record has been followed by the warmest January on record. Many regions in the Northern Hemisphere have been plunged into heat waves that would be more normal in June. Marine scientists are shocked by the prolonged and intense heat on the surface of the oceans, The Guardian reported.
Scientists have said that the extreme heat is largely the result of human activity, such as the burning of oil, gas and coal and deforestation. This has been reinforced by natural factors, especially El Nino - a phenomenon associated with the warming of the Pacific Ocean - that began last year and is expected to continue until spring.
2024 has a one-in-three chance of being even hotter than last year's record, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The higher the global temperature, the greater the risk of fires and floods.
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Hottest August on record, scientists warn of even more extreme temperatures
Chilean President Gabriel Boric has declared two days of national mourning after the country's deadliest forest fires have killed more than 120 people in the Valparaiso region.
In the United States, the governor of California, Gavin Neesom, declared a state of emergency due to heavy rains in San Diego, which left three people dead.
