At least 28 people have been killed in Appalachia, Kentucky by devastating floods caused by torrential rains and fast-rising water.
Flash flooding and mudslides were reported across the mountainous regions of eastern Kentucky, western Virginia, and southern West Virgina, where thunderstorms moved through the area unleashing several inches of rain throughout last week.
This catastrophic flooding event isn't a one-off occurrence. As our climate continues to change, the frequency and magnitude of these events will increase, destroying property and taking lives. It's time to demand emergency climate action.
It's easy to dismiss any extreme weather event as a consequence of climate change, but in reality, they're usually influenced by a myriad of factors that have nothing to do with a changing climate. More research is needed before we can establish any direct causal link between the two.