Climate change and rapid urbanization worsened the impact of East African rains, scientists say

By CARLOS MUREITHI
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The impact of the calamitous rains that struck East Africa from March to May was intensified by a mix of human-caused climate change and rapid growth of urban areas, an international team of climate scientists said in a study published Friday. The findings come from World Weather Attribution, a group of scientists that analyzes whether and to what extent human-induced climate change has altered the likelihood and magnitude of extreme weather events. The downpours caused floods that killed hundreds of people, displaced thousands of others, killed thousands of livestock and destroyed thousands of acres of crops.