The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Violent hurricanes in Gulf Coast offer a tate of things to come as WMO warns of “more hurricanes of categories 4 and 5” this season
As the Gulf Coast of the United States left assessing the massive damage left by hurricane Laura , scientist predict that the strongest storm tied to hit the state of Louisiana since 1856 was just the beginning of more hurricanes to be expected during this season.
“It was a big storm, it generated more accumulated cyclone energy -- which is how we measure these things -- than all the other named storms during August so far,” said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in reference to hurricane Laura. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Ms. Nullis added that “it’s the seventh named storm to landfall in the United States this season. The others were relatively minor. And it’s obviously by far the most intense and dangerous hurricane so far this season”.
Quoting the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Ms. Nullis said that “the global proportion of tropical cyclones that reach very intense category 4 and 5 levels will likely increase due to anthropogenic [reasons], so that’s human caused, over the next century”. Hurricane Laura intensified within 24 hours from a category 1 to a category 4 hurricane, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
The accurate forecasts seem to have kept the death toll to a minimum, with some 20 people killed by the hurricane, mainly in the Dominican Republic and Haiti before Laura developed into a hurricane and hit Louisiana.
Precautions will remain crucial as “we still have a long way to go with climatology saying that we have about 70 percent of strong activity in the season still left,” according to the WMO spokesperson. The hurricane season also started earlier this year than is usual.
Global warming provides one reason for expecting more destructive ad powerful storms more frequently, according to Ms. Nullis. It is “basically the laws of physics,” she said. “Storms feed on warm water, higher water temperatures mean higher sea levels which in turn increases the risk of flooding during high tights and so the circle goes on. Warm air holds more atmospheric water which enables tropical storms to strengthen and unleash more heavy rainfall,” she explained.
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, Spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO): “It was a big storm, it generated more accumulated cyclone energy, which is how we measure these things, than any other named storms during August so far. It’s the seventh named storm to landfall in the United States this season. The others were relatively minor. And it’s obviously by far the most intense and dangerous hurricane so far this season”.
- Medium shot, journalists sitting in Press Room III, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, Spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO): “The global proportion of tropical cyclones that reach very intense category 4 and 5 levels will likely increase due to anthropogenic, so that’s human caused, over the next century”.
- Close up, journalist, Press Room III, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, Spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO): “We still have a long way to go with climatology saying that we have about 70 % of strong activity in the season still left.”
- Wide shot, journalists in Press Room III, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, Spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO): “We do expect to see more powerful storms in the future as a result of global warming. That’s basically the laws of physics: storms feed on warm water, higher water temperatures mean higher sea levels which in turn increases the risk of flooding during high tights and so the circle goes on. Warm air holds more atmospheric water which enables tropical storms to strengthen and unleash more heavy rainfall”.
- Close up, journalist in Press Room, Palais des Nations.
- Close up, spokesperson in Press Room, Palais des Nations
- Close up, journalist in Press Room, Palais des Nations.
- Close up, journalist in Press Room, Palais des Nations.
- Close up, journalist in Press Room, Palais des Nations.
- Close up, hands typing on laptop
Similar Stories
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
The Human Rights Council on Wednesday heard gruesome testimony of torture, rape and execution of Ukrainian detainees and soldiers by Russian forces, as a high-level independent probe delivered its latest mandated report in Geneva.
2
23
1
1
Edited News , Press Conferences | UNITED NATIONS
Cyprus talks result in trust-building measures, show ‘new atmosphere’ among divided island’s leaders, says UN’s Guterres
UN-led efforts to kick-start talks on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resulted in agreements on new trust-building measures and also underscored the positive “new atmosphere” surrounding the discussions, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday.
1
62
1
2
Edited News , Images | UNITED NATIONS , UNOG
Fresh talks over the future of Cyprus continued on Tuesday as representatives of the divided Mediterranean island gathered at the UN in Geneva along with guarantors Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom at the request of UN chief António Guterres.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG , WFP
The Government of Israel has ramped up settlement of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, transferring its own population into the territory and unlawfully demolishing Palestinian homes. At the same time settler violence has increased with continued impunity, the UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Following last night’s Israeli strikes in Gaza, Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following comment at the bi-weekly news briefing in Geneva: “Weare horrified by last night’s Israeli airstrikes and shelling in Gaza, which killed hundreds, according to the Ministry of Health in the strip. This will add tragedy onto tragedy.”
1
9
1
1
Edited News | WMO
Glaciers in many regions will not survive the 21st century if they keep melting at the current rate, potentially jeopardizing hundreds of millions of people living downstream, UN climate experts said on Friday, the first World Day for Glaciers.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC , OHCHR
The Iranian Government has continued to ramp up efforts to restrict the rights of civilians including young children as part of a concerted effort to crush dissent, investigators mandated by the Human Rights Council insisted on Friday.
2
1
1
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
Senior human rights investigators reporting to the Human Rights Council alleged on Thursday that sexual and gender-based violence by Israeli security forces against Palestinian men, women and children have been increasingly used “as a method of war” following the 7 October 2023 attacks that sparked the Gaza war.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Bangladesh: Humanitarians describe ‘extreme desperation’ as aid cuts deepen Rohingya children’s suffering
In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee settlements, child malnutrition has surged and cuts in aid funding risk creating a humanitarian “catastrophe”, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday gave an update on the situation in Syria’s coastal region as reports continue to emerge of the distressing scale of violence there since 6 March.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
The aid response in Burundi to the crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) “is literally buckling”, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Friday, as it relayed dramatic testimonies from people forced to flee the unchecked advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
Close to 80,000 have fled DR Congo amid fighting, sexual violence: UNHCR
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), insecurity and horrific sexual violence have pushed tens of thousands to flee across borders with no sign of the exodus stopping, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.