Is this the summer we finally wake up? New York City is clearing up after its first ever flash flood. Experts say it was caused by global warming and we must act now.
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‘Climate crisis is here’ as floods ravage USA
Is this the summer we finally wake up? New York City is clearing up after its first ever flash flood. Experts say it was caused by global warming and we must act now.
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What's happening?
It happened fast. People looked at their phones and saw warnings. They said to get to high ground.
For some people, it was already too late. Streets and basements were already full of water. Thousands of homes were ruined.
Find out more
Storm Ida has been raging for a week. It landed on 29 August. It was the fifth-largest hurricane ever in the USA.
On Wednesday, it arrived in New York City. It caused floods on roads. Cars were washed away.
President Biden said it was because of global warming. "The climate crisis is here", he said.
This storm is called an extreme weather event. There have been others this summer.
In June, towns in Canada reached 49.5C. There were wildfires in Greece. In China, floods made 10,000 people homeless.
Many hope these scary events will make more people want to fight climate change. But some say it is not so likely.
Is this the summer we finally wake up?
Some say
No. The news is scary but that will not make us change. Instead, we need things to hope for. Good news is more helpful. For example, the rise in electric cars or more countries using wind power. This is much more positive!
Others think
Yes, of course! We cannot ignore climate change when it affects so many of us. Now it is affecting rich countries that can do something about it. This will force us to make a big change!
‘Climate crisis is here’ as floods ravage USA
Cars sit abandoned on the flooded Major Deegan Expressway following a night of extremely heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida on September 02, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. © Getty