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<ul class="summary-list"><li>At least 62 people have been killed in the worst flooding to hit Spain in decades.</li><li>Flash floods are becoming more common and more intense due to global warming.</li></ul>At least 62 people have been killed and many more are missing in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spain-flooding-51-dead-in-valencia-region-economic-hub-2024-10">worst flooding to hit Spain in decades</a>.Torrential rain hit parts of the country on Tuesday, cutting off main roads, delaying flights, and damaging homes.The rain was the result of a weather phenomenon known as a cold drop, in which cold air moves over warm water.The warm air then rises rapidly, leading to the formation of huge cumulonimbus clouds capable of releasing violent downpours that can devastate towns and cities.Such extreme weather events have a huge human and economic cost — and scientists believe global warming, combined with the way humans have developed the natural landscape, will only make the problem worse.<h2 id="971184fb-8d33-48d1-979d-6445b6e539be">The cost of extreme weather</h2>Estimates for the economic costs of extreme weather and flooding vary, but many tend to agree that they are on the rise.According to the European Environment Agency, extreme weather in Europe caused economic losses of assets estimated at more than $800 billion between 1980 and 2023.Last year, a study by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/09/climate-crisis-cost-extreme-weather-damage-study">Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand</a> said the damage caused by the climate crisis through extreme weather has cost $16 million an hour for the past 20 years.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/extreme-weather-economic-cost-wef23/">The World Economic Forum</a> calculated that the cost of extreme events had increased nearly eight times globally, inflation-adjusted, since the 1970s.The impact of flash flooding can be particularly severe because, often, there is very little warning.<h2 id="8409be50-c212-466d-bbd2-62c416ac5204">Flash flooding in dry areas</h2>Flash floods are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-flash-flood-warning-how-to-stay-safe-vermont-2023-7">different from regular flooding</a> because they develop quickly, in the span of a few hours or even minutes.They can be far more devastating in dry areas because parched soil tends to repel water rather than allow it to soak in.That means surges can result from as little as 10 millimeters in just one hour, according to a<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=3735d139977ac068c02d638e81b04695e0ab6b1d06970add3b44fafb88d52e11&amp;postID=6722014ce5b5408300715e9a&amp;postSlug=flash-floods-spain-increasing-globally-experts-infrastructure-change-2024-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-023-00626-9.epdf%3Fno_publisher_access%3D1%26r3_referer%3Dnature"> 2023 article in Nature</a>."Our analysis using the Emergency Events Database shows that, since 2000, such regions experienced less than half (47%) of deadly flash floods globally, yet saw almost three-quarters (74%) of related deaths," the authors wrote.The same researchers found that the rate of dryland flash flooding around the world was 20 times higher between 2000 and 2022 than it was between 1900 and 1999.Ernesto Rodríguez Camino, a senior state meteorologist and member of the Spanish Meteorological Association, said flash flooding is becoming more frequent, a trend which is set to continue because of the damaging effects of global warming."Events of this type, which used to occur many decades apart, are now becoming more frequent, and their destructive capacity is greater," he said.<h2 id="c6269754-7554-446d-a63e-b8d93fdbfdc3">Why are there more flash floods?</h2>The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a US-based nonprofit, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.edf.org/why-are-floods-hitting-more-places-and-people">said</a> flash flooding has intensified because of increased rainfall and heat waves.The rise in the world's average surface temperature — which was more than 2 Degrees Fahrenheit warmer in 2020 than it was 100 years ago — has resulted in more moisture and clouds in the air, the organization said.According to the EDF, modern infrastructure, including buildings, roads, and sidewalks, has eliminated natural landscape features that would have slowed flooding in the past.It added that stormwater systems designed to protect buildings are often too old and not vast enough to handle the increasing amount of major weather events caused by global warming.Additionally, houses are continuing to be built in areas that are prone to flooding, the organization said.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/floods#tab=tab_1">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) said people who live on floodplains or in buildings without flood protections or warning systems are most vulnerable.<h2 id="283c598d-eb50-4251-afb8-e7fbf0cb4832">What can be done?</h2><div type="image" title="Emergency workers clear debris the morning after heavy rains and flash floods hit the area on October 30, 2024 in Letur, Albacete province, Spain" height="3333" width="5000" msid="114787520" hostid="261" sizebytes="2262486"></div>Non-environmental factors, such as new infrastructure and better weather warnings, can help prevent the impact of flash flooding.Jess Neumann, an associate professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, said that a long-term solution would involve the "radical redesign of urban areas.""Flash floods can affect anyone, anywhere. We take preparation for other hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis very seriously with education, drills, and emergency kits," she said. "It is time we afforded the same to flood risk preparedness."John Marsham, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Leeds, agrees with Neumann's assessment."Our entire infrastructure and civilization are based around a climate that no longer exists," he said, adding that some locations are becoming more difficult to insure against flood damage.Some cities are already considering better precautions for extreme weather events. For example, in 2022, the US Army Corps of Engineers unveiled its proposal to build a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/26/nyregion/storm-project-new-york-harbor-flooding.html">$52 billion moveable sea barrier</a> along the New York Harbor to protect against storm surges.These protections would also allow local economies to recover faster.The EDF reported that the average flood event from excessive rainfall in the US costs around $4.7 billion.Marsham and Liz Stephens, a professor in climate risks and resilience, said that local governments should also implement stronger warnings about the risks of flash flooding to prevent death and injuries."People shouldn't be dying from these kinds of forecasted weather events in countries where they have the resources to do better," Stephens said.

Flash floods are a worsening scourge worldwide — here's why

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The United Arab Emirates experienced torrential rainfall and flash floods, beginning late Monday.</li><li>Videos appear to show planes taxiing down flooded runways at Dubai International Airport. </li></ul>Torrential rainfall pummeled the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dubai-laser-beam-shooting-drones-shock-rain-from-the-sky-2021-7">United Arab Emirates</a> this week, resulting in flash floods that caused air travel chaos, closed schools, and deluged homes.The rain began late Monday, flooding the UAE with more than half a foot (6.26 inches) of water in 24 hours, according to the Dubai Meteorological Office and cited by <a target="_blank" href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/dubai-flooding-heavy-rainfall/story?id=109321601&amp;cid=social_twitter_abcn">ABC News</a>. That is more than two years' worth of rain in one day, the outlet noted.There are claims that cloud seeding may have played a role in the flash floods. The practice sees planes inject clouds with chemicals that can increase rainfall.One fatality was reported by police at the time of writing on Wednesday: A 70-year-old man died in Ras al-Khaimah when his vehicle was swept away in the flooding.Flooding also occurred in Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. In Oman, 19 people died in flash floods, according to local media.<div type="image" title="Dubai road flooding" height="1333" width="1777" msid="109374524" hostid="261" sizebytes="433068"></div>Dubai International Airport — recently named the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/dubai-international-airport-most-luxurious-airport-in-world-study-8603681">most luxurious airport</a> in the world — said planes were diverted. Some services now appear to have restarted.<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/gunsnrosesgirl3/status/1780307713592897542">Unverified videos</a> on social media appeared to show heavily flooded tarmac, with large passenger airplanes creating waves and taxiing through several feet of water.The airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider about the videos.<div type="image" title="Vehicles drive on a flooded road during torrential rain in the Gulf Emirate of Dubai on April 16, 2024." height="683" width="1024" msid="109361170" hostid="261"></div>"We advise you NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary," an airport spokesperson <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DXB/status/1780461316605456559">wrote on X</a> on Wednesday.They added that planes continue to be delayed and diverted.An unnamed couple told the AP that the situation at the airport is "absolute carnage," with some passengers sleeping there or at the Metro station.<div type="image" title="car flood" height="1333" width="2000" msid="109374526" hostid="261" sizebytes="129776"></div>Dubai recieved more than 5.6 inches of rain by Tuesday evening, around the amount it typically gets in a year and a half, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://news.sky.com/story/carnage-at-dubai-airport-as-uae-hit-by-heaviest-rainfall-in-75-years-13116978">Sky News.</a>It marks its heaviest rainfall in 75 years, according to a WAM news agency cited by Sky News.In a post shared on X, the UAE's National Centre of Meteorology showed the regions that have been most affected. <h2>The UAE may have been playing rainmaker by cloud seeding</h2>While images of extreme flooding can show the consequences of the climate crisis, this particular event may have been worsened by a direct attempt to play <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-expanding-weather-modification-program-artificial-rain-snow-2025-2020-12">rainmaker</a> — literally.To address water scarcity in the typically dry country, the UAE started using a practice referred to as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/controlling-weather-in-future-2018-5">cloud seeding</a> in the 90s and early 2000s.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dri.edu/cloud-seeding-program/what-is-cloud-seeding/">Cloud seeding</a> is a method designed to increase the amount of water that falls from a cloud. It involves identifying suitable clouds and then using aircraft or ground-based generators to introduce a chemical agent that facilitates the production of snowflakes.Cloud seeding has been used in countries worldwide, including in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/story/cloud-seeding-takes-flight-in-western-us-76737400">western US states</a> dealing with drought, like California, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, and Texas.<div type="image" title="Vehicles are stranded on a flooded street following torrential rain in the Gulf Emirate of Dubai on April 16, 2024." height="683" width="1024" msid="109361171" hostid="261"></div>The practice has long been controversial, with critics dismissing it as an attempt to "play God" or being potentially harmful to the environment or public health. Scientists have not documented the harmful impacts of cloud seeding, and <a target="_blank" href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/can-cloud-seeding-help-quench-the-thirst-of-the-u.s.-west">recent studies</a> have suggested that the practice works.Ahmed Habib, a specialist meteorologist, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-16/dubai-grinds-to-standstill-as-cloud-seeding-worsens-flooding">Bloomberg</a> that the UAE's cloud seeding operations contributed directly to the heavy rainfall that fell this week.<div type="image" title="vehicle dubai" height="1332" width="1776" msid="109374527" hostid="261" sizebytes="111964"></div>Habib told the outlet that two planes conducted cloud seeding operations on Monday and Tuesday and that seven seeding missions had been carried out in two days.Flight-tracking data analyzed by the AP suggested that an aircraft affiliated with the UAE's cloud-seeding project flew around the country Sunday."For any cloud that's suitable over the UAE you make the operation," Habib told Bloomberg.<div type="image" title="A submerged duty machine is seen after heavy rain in United Arab Emirates on April 16, 2024." height="2867" width="3693" msid="109361172" hostid="261"></div>The UAE's weather bureau said no cloud seeding had taken place during Tuesday's rain, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2024/04/16/live-weather-rain-dubai/">National News. </a>It did not immediately respond to a request by BI for comment.Chris England, a weather producer at Sky News, said he doesn't believe cloud seeing to be a reason behind the floods as evidence of it working is "pretty slim at best."Despite warning citizens to remain home during the heavy rain, the UAE government's press office said they were "rains of goodness," as the country has dealt with a rise in <a target="_blank" href="https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2023/07/20/UAE-doctors-say-serious-cases-of-heat-stroke-on-the-rise-amid-soaring-temperatures">heat-related illnesses and deaths</a> that some hope can be alleviated by an increase in rainfall.Schools across the UAE continued to be closed on Wednesday, and employees are working from home, according to the Sky News report.

Photos show Dubai overwhelmed by torrential rain &mdash; and may expose the downsides of trying to control the weather

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Chinese social media is treating Charlie Munger, who died at 99 on Tuesday, with great reverence.</li><li>Weibo, which is often filled with anti-US messages, was flooded with tributes to Munger.</li></ul>As Wall Street mourns the <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/charlie-munger-dies-warren-buffett-obituary-berkshire-hathaway-stock-market-2023-11?_gl=1*17cmly0*_ga*NjA2OTAyMzI4LjE2NTUwODIyODk.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcwMTIyMjY0MS4xMTY2LjEuMTcwMTIyNTAyNS41Ni4wLjA.">death of investing legend Charlie Munger</a>, Chinese social media is tipping its hat to the man.A collective sense of awe toward the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/charlie-munger-berkshire-hathaway-greg-abel-warren-buffett-2023-11">longtime Berkshire Hathaway lieutenant</a> has accumulated on Weibo — China's version of Twitter — for both his age and knack for growing wealth.Though Munger, who died on Tuesday, has in recent years applauded some of China's policies and crackdowns, it was his wisdom and maxims that took center stage on Weibo.Praise for American figures and notaries amid rising US-China tensions is becoming rare on Weibo, which is heavily moderated and often aligns with the central government's views.The Paper, a state-owned media outlet, <a target="_blank" href="https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E8%8A%92%E6%A0%BC%E5%8E%BB%E4%B8%96%23">published a list</a> of Munger's "top 10 investment principles," which were more akin to guidelines for life. Sina Finance, a news arm of one of China's largest tech firms, <a target="_blank" href="https://weibo.com/1638782947/NuL3t6aJb?refer_flag=1001030103_">posted a similar list.</a>Comments and posts about Munger hit 290 million views just hours after the announcement of his death, and the count is rising rapidly, per data seen by Business Insider.Most hailed Munger as a centenarian and a man who oversaw a large, multigenerational family. He died one month before what would have been his 100th birthday."He was a hundred years old, wise and wealthy, a master of investment, children and grandchildren aplenty, and passed away peacefully," wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://weibo.com/5611061334/NuLbQAFf4?refer_flag=1001030103_">financial blogger "Investing Logically.</a>" "A real winner in life, I'll pay tribute to his wisdom.""Live long, be rich, have children and grandchildren, what a perfect life," wrote another user <a target="_blank" href="https://weibo.com/2868676035/NuKhSAEtu?refer_flag=1001030103_">under a news report about his death</a>."The wise man has passed away. Thank you, Munger, for your selfless sharing of life's wisdom," another wrote with a crying emoji.Munger, who amassed a net worth of around $2.3 billion, had a reputation for <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/charlie-munger-quotes-acquired-podcast-buffett-gambling-vc-brands-birthday-2023-11?_gl=1*1ckvhkc*_ga*NjA2OTAyMzI4LjE2NTUwODIyODk.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcwMTIyMjY0MS4xMTY2LjEuMTcwMTIyNjYyNS4zMC4wLjA.">witty one-liners </a>on life, geopolitics, business, and governance.He is known for being Warren Buffet's right-hand man, and for helping to grow Berkshire Hathaway from a Nebraska textile company into a nearly $800 billion empire.Munger drew attention in the last few years for praising China and its economic boom, <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/03/business/munger-china-economy/index.html">saying in 2021</a> that Beijing's communist party had been "smarter about handling booms than capitalist America."And when Chinese leader Xi Jinping punished Alibaba mogul Jack Ma over his criticism of the government, Munger said the <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/30/investing/charlie-munger-china-berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett/index.html">"Communists did the right thing"</a> because Ma had overstepped."I certainly would like to have the financial part of it in my own country," Munger said, when asked if he wanted any of China's system replicated in the US.Munger, who was <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/charlie-munger-investing-advice-key-daily-habit-behind-billionaire-status-2023-11?_gl=1*1n21g4z*_ga*NjA2OTAyMzI4LjE2NTUwODIyODk.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcwMTIyMjY0MS4xMTY2LjEuMTcwMTIyNzA5NC41NC4wLjA.">outspoken against cryptocurrencies</a>, also lauded China's main bank for banning crypto in 2021.He lamented souring US-China relations in May, saying both Washington and Beijing were "equally guilty of being stupid" by antagonizing each other.One of Berkshire Hathaway's most prominent Chinese investments is BYD, the EV maker rivaling Elon Musk's Tesla.But it has repeatedly reduced its shares in the Shenzhen-based firm, <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/byd-stock-sales-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-china-ev-munger-2023-11">slashing its stake</a> from 25% in 2008 to less than 8% in October.

In death, Charlie Munger is loved by China

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Joey Swoll has been going viral for calling out people who call out others at the gym.</li><li>A woman who was criticized by Swoll told Insider that she received an onslaught of hate as a result.</li></ul>Over the past few weeks, fitness influencer Joey Swoll <a href="https://www.insider.com/joey-swoll-fitness-influencer-jessica-fernandez-gym-misogyny-false-claims-2023-2">has become known</a> for his videos that mostly call out women for labeling men "creepers" at the gym. Swoll, who has over six million followers on TikTok, brands himself as the "CEO of gym positivity."However, some of his fans aren't very positive. While many people have dubbed him a "hero" for defending men in gyms, <a href="https://www.insider.com/joey-swoll-fitness-influencer-jessica-fernandez-gym-misogyny-false-claims-2023-2">others have pointed</a> to his <a href="https://twitter.com/FarmerLou72/status/1620928878494773248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aggressive fanbase</a> and the way he continues to call out women as a sign that he could be <a href="https://twitter.com/_malaikanicole/status/1621254081602895872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fueling misogyny</a>, which is already widespread on the internet.A woman who <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thejoeyswoll/video/7195758440437026094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was recently called out</a> by Swoll said she's received hundreds of hateful messages from the influencer's fans, including people telling her to kill herself and dox her address. Nora Love told Insider her coworkers and friends have also received harassment as a result. Some, out of an abundance of caution, felt the need to deactivate their social media accounts. She said she fears for her safety and has suffered repeated panic attacks. <h2> </h2>Last week, Love found a clip of her video featured on Swoll's TikTok page. The fitness influencer, who has 6.4 million fans, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thejoeyswoll/video/7195758440437026094?embed_source=121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_name&amp;refer=embed&amp;referer_url=www.insider.com%2Fpost%2Fpreview%3Fpost_id%3D63e56f5632953071506ff2a1%26mode%3Ddesktop&amp;referer_video_id=7195758440437026094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stitched her video to denounce</a> her actions in them. Love originally filmed an older man at her local gym who she claimed was leering at women at the gym and not doing much working out while he was there. "There's no way he's looking at her," Swoll says in his video response to Love. "Could you imagine if this was the other way around and he did this to you?" His video has been viewed over 6.2 million times.Love, who's a real estate agent from Orlando and mother of three, told Insider that she heavily debated whether to post her original video.She said her alarm bells went off after she noticed the man staring at a blonde woman at their gym for about 25 minutes. She ultimately decided to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thejoeyswoll/video/7195758440437026094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">share the video</a> to her small TikTok page of around 2,000 followers, which normally featured clips of her working out, and content related to her job, like giving real estate advice and property walkthroughs.Her TikTok only had about 220 likes when Swoll amplified it to his millions of followers. Love claimed the video was taken out of context and given a "fake narrative.""He shared my video on his platform with a fake narrative, making me out to be the bad guy … as if I was being rude or cruel, or harassing this sweet old man who was just minding his own business in the gym," Love alleged. "Which is not what was happening at all."Almost immediately, Love was inundated with hateful messages. She said she posted a rebuttal video with more context about the situation, but viewers mass-reported it so fast that it was soon taken down. Love began receiving so much harassment that she was forced to deactivate all her accounts, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even her Pinterest page."I was getting incessant phone calls," said Love, whose number was publicly available because she's a real estate agent. "They were going hard to try to find me with the intention of … making me lose my source of income, making me fear for my safety."She said people called her insults and expletives and made death threats against her. She said a stranger showed up at a studio where she had once recorded a podcast at and asked to see her.Insider reviewed dozens of screenshots of hateful messages and listened to a handful of threatening voicemails she had received.While the backlash had mostly died down, she said someone as recent as Wednesday called her a racist slur over the phone. "I've never had more panic attacks in my life," Love said. "These last two weeks of my life have been a living absolute nightmare."When reached, Swoll pointed Insider to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Coar8j_yHIO/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a public social media post</a> he made on Wednesday as his official statement."If you actually go to my page you'll see I've done an equal amount of videos on men and women because gender has nothing to do with it. I have no agenda other than making the gym a safer place for EVERYONE. Period," he said in a lengthy tweet that included a screenshot of a previous Insider headline about the matter. "There have been some who have taken it upon themselves to take my words of positivity and create situations of harassment, misogyny, body shaming, or any other version of spreading hate."Love's situation isn't the first time a hate mob has descended on someone who was called out by Swoll.Perhaps the most public <a href="https://www.insider.com/jessica-fernandez-tiktok-twitch-gym-joey-swoll-backlash-2023-1">outrage</a> was directed at Jessica Fernandez, a fellow creator who called a man a "weirdo" and expletives for glancing at her in the gym. After Swoll called her out, she received a wave of backlash and was pressured to <a href="https://twitter.com/Jessicafrndz/status/1618013037704744960" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologized</a> for the incident.

A woman who was called out by fitness influencer Joey Swoll said she's since been flooded with hate messages and death threats

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An elderly Texas couple were found dead in their home during an extreme heat wave. </li><li>The couple were in the process of getting money to get their air conditioning unit fixed.</li></ul>An elderly Texas couple was found dead in their home during a brutal heat wave this past June. Now, their daughter hopes their deaths will prompt others to take the warning signs of extreme heat seriously. On June 16, Ramona Ison, 71, and Monway Ison, 72, were found dead along with their dog in their Baytown, Texas, mobile home. The couple had been having issues with their air conditioning unit and sought out repairs but couldn't afford to get it fixed, Roxanna Flood, the couple's daughter, told Insider."I think it was about a $1,400 or $1,600 repair," Flood said, "just to hope that it would get running for a little while." In the aftermath of their deaths, Flood said she hopes her parents' story makes more people aware of the warning signs of extreme heat and reminds everyone to reach out for help when they need it."I feel like if it could happen to my parents," Flood said, "then it could happen to anyone.""I just think the awareness has to get out there of what to look for with the heat, with it just being heat versus heat exhaustion or heat stroke," she added.<div type="image" title="Ramona and Monway Ison" height="843" width="1125" msid="102437120" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, warning signs and symptoms of heat-related illness include headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and losing consciousness. The agency said to seek medical help if symptoms last longer than an hour.Seven people, including Ramona and Monway, have died from extreme heat in Harris County, Texas, in the past few months. A <a href="https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/harris-county-heat-related-deaths/285-21e18045-d68c-4128-9348-4cef094a78ba#:~:text=Two%20of%20the%20deaths%20occurred%20in%20the%20same%20trailer%20home%20in%20Baytown.&amp;text=HARRIS%20COUNTY%2C%20Texas%20—%20Seven%20people,according%20to%20the%20medical%20examiner." target="_blank" rel="noopener">KHOU</a> report said all seven deaths were listed as accidental with a case of hyperthermia. The week the Isons were found dead, temperatures hit the mid-90s in Baytown, <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/baytown/77520/june-weather/331135?year=2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Accuweather</a>. The heat has continued through the summer, with highs around 99 degrees Fahrenheit so far in August.Roxanna Flood said that her parents' AC unit went out on June 12, and the air conditioning company John Moore inspected the unit Tuesday. But, Flood said, her parents couldn't afford the repair upfront, referencing a copy of an invoice from the AC company that said the couple should call back when they had the money. Flood said Ramona and Monway Ison didn't inform her about the issue and instead bought fans and opted to get a loan to pay for the repair, which Flood said was approved on June 15.On Friday, June 16, Flood said a neighbor noticed Ramona wasn't out walking her dog and grew concerned, eventually checking up on the couple. That neighbor, Eddie Phillips, told <a href="https://abc13.com/houston-heat-deaths-monway-ison-ramona-baytown-couple-die-inside-home-no-ac/13589737/?ex_cid=TA_KTRK_FB&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20New%20Content%20(Feed)&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwAR2WbrQrUaEbZ-g1edA8TFK3srQDCsc92R7mxSCKmZ8-rAmGLck5E-BB_JY">KTRK</a>: "I banged on the door. No answer. Went over there to the bedroom. Banged on the window. No answer. So that's why I decided to call the police."Police found Ramona, Monway, and their dog dead inside their home that same day. Flood said that based on what she pieced together from neighbors and the police report, her parents had died after realizing it was too hot to stay inside their home and were potentially preparing to leave. "I think they thought it was just going to cool off, and they only had to go one more night," Flood said. According to Flood, both of her parents were accustomed to the heat. "My dad worked outdoors in the heat for over 20 years at the golf course in Baytown, and so he was always outside in all of the elements, and the heat didn't bother him," she said. But the Isons had health conditions in their later years that affected their mobility and made them sensitive to the heat, Flood said.Flood also spoke about her parents' strong relationship. "They were high school sweethearts," she said, adding that would've celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on July 30th. They were great-grandparents and loved spending time with family.

A Texas woman's elderly parents were found dead inside their home during a brutal heat wave. She said it could 'happen to anyone' and that more people need to be concerned about preventing heat-related deaths.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two months of rain fell in two days in Vermont and left some towns underwater. </li><li>No deaths have been reported, but thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed.</li><li>As the water recedes, officials said the storm shows an ongoing need to adapt to the climate crisis.</li></ul>Vermonters are assessing the damage from the worst flooding in more than a decade after a storm poured down two months of rain in two days.Between <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/NWSBurlington/status/1678847768125915137">6 and 9 inches fell in many areas</a>, and drone footage <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/vtagencyofag/videos/268998425735005">showed the downtowns of Montpelier</a>, the state capital, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/vtagencyofag/videos/650106657001214/">and Waterbury</a> still underwater on Tuesday. The Winooski River, which courses through those cities, swelled to about 21 feet — <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=MONV1&amp;wfo=btv">6 feet above flood stage</a>. It was the highest level in nearly a century, when the river reached 27 feet during the Great Vermont Flood of 1927, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/MontpelierVT">according to local officials</a>.Emergency responders have rescued more than 200 people who were stranded in cars and homes. No serious injuries or deaths have been reported in the state, but the damage is extensive. A railroad track in Ludlow is suspended in the air after water washed away the earth beneath it, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/JMichaelsNews/status/1678769913337610254">the Weather Channel's Justin Michaels reported</a>.The damage in a small state that's not along a coast or sweltering under extreme heat is a reminder that few places — even those considered relatively safe — will be spared the fallout from a changing climate.<div type="image" title="An aerial view of flooding in Montpelier, Vermont" height="2880" width="5120" msid="101737592" hostid="261" sizebytes="606700"></div>Even as water levels recede, more rain is expected on Thursday and Friday."The flooding we've seen is historic," Gov. Phil Scott said at a press conference Wednesday. "This may not be over. With rain in the forecast and nowhere for it to go, we could see waters rise again."Some residents said the flooding was worse than Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, which at the time seemed like an anomaly in the state. Another devastating storm 12 years later might force many Vermonters to reassess their risks, especially as the climate crisis fuels more intense rainfall. Many towns are tucked into and along the Green Mountains, leaving them vulnerable as water gushes down steep terrain."Climate change is a factor in what we're seeing," Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in a press conference. "We have to start thinking about what the risks are going to be in 10 and 20 years from now so we can use our mitigation dollars to reduce impacts and help communities be more resilient."About 18% of properties in Vermont are at significant risk of flooding over the next 30 years, predicts <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://riskfactor.com/state/vermont/50_fsid/flood">First Street Foundation</a>. The nonprofit research group said it conducts its own analysis of flood risks across the country to help communities prepare for the rising threat of heavy rainfall because federal flood maps, which local governments use to guide where to build, are outdated.FEMA officials on Wednesday said the agency is revamping its maps to account for climate risks that are making flooding more likely, including sea-level rise and a warmer atmosphere that holds more moisture and can intensify rainfall.

Climate-change safe havens can still get hit hard. Vermont's flooding is a reminder.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Flash flooding swept across the Northeast US this week, causing one death and millions in damage. </li><li>Flash floods are often caused by slow-moving thunderstorms or tropical storms and can happen in an instant.</li></ul>Heavy rainfall inundated the Northeast this week, causing <a href="https://www.insider.com/vermont-flooding-photos-towns-roads-submerged-water-2023-7">deadly flash flooding</a>, submerging buildings, and turning streets into <a href="https://www.insider.com/footage-flash-floods-new-york-streets-waterways-2023-7">murky waterways</a>. On Monday, more than 9 million people stretching from Alaska to Maine were under flood alerts, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/weather/northeast-storms-flooding-excessive-rainfall/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to CNN</a>. A 35-year-old woman died in Orange County, New York, after floodwaters swept her away, and a county executive in her town said he expects the damage to be tens of millions of dollars, CNN reported.So what can you do to prepare for a flash flood ahead of time and protect yourself during one?Here's everything you need to know about the types of flood alerts, what causes flash floods, and how to stay safe:<h2>What are flash floods?</h2>Flash floods are different from regular floods because of how quickly they develop, as the name suggests. They can form in a few hours or even minutes, <a href="https://www.weather.gov/pbz/floods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the National Weather Service</a>, and are the deadliest weather-related event in the US. Flash floods happen after heavy rainfall hits a region — like during a slow-moving thunderstorm or a tropical storm — and can worsen depending on how long the rainfall lasts, according to the NWS. The topography of an area and the condition of the soil can also affect the formation of flash floods, and even lead to mudslides, the NWS says. <h2>What is a flash flood warning?</h2>There are a few different levels of flood warning that the National Weather Service uses to alert Americans of risk factors — flash flood warnings and flood warnings are at the top of that list. The service issues a Flash Flood Warning or a Flood Warning when flooding is "imminent or already happening," <a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-watch-warning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the NWS website</a>. The agency says people living in flood-prone areas should immediately "take action" and move to higher ground. A Flood Advisory is one level below a warning when the flooding will likely only be a "nuisance," according to the NWS. Under this type of warning, the service says people need to "be aware" and exercise caution. And below that is a Flood Watch, when the weather conditions might result in a flood. The service says under this warning, people should "be prepared" for potential flooding. <h2>What to do before a flash flood</h2>There are also a number of ways you can prepare for a potential flash flood before it happens.First, you should make a plan with your roommates or family members for an emergency situation, including how to escape if necessary. You can find detailed planning resources on the <a href="https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Red Cross's website</a>. It's also important to have an emergency go-bag filled with essentials ready in the event of a crisis, like a flash flood. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/flash-flood-safety-survival.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times suggests</a> filling your bag with items like bottled water, a portable phone charger and cord, nonperishable food, a first-aid kit, and even cash. And above all, make sure you stay up to date on the latest information about where and when a flood is advancing, and how to get away from a dangerous area. <h2>What to do in a flash flood to stay safe</h2>One of the most important things to remember during a flash flood is that no matter how shallow or slow-moving the flooding may appear to be, you don't always know how deep or fast it actually is. The National Weather Service says you should never walk, drive, or swim through swift or flowing water. "If you come upon flood waters, STOP! TURN AROUND AND GO ANOTHER WAY," the NWS's <a href="https://www.weather.gov/pbz/floods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website says.</a>The service also advises you to get to higher ground if you are able to before flooding reaches your area. And if your car stalls while it's in floodwater, the service says you should "abandon it immediately and seek higher ground," <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mob/Severe_Flood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to its website.</a>For more information on flood safety and preparedness, review the <a href="https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/flood.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Red Cross's guidelines</a>.

What should you do during a flash flood? Never walk or drive through floodwaters

Mike Hepp was shocked when he learned that Sam had only one week left to live.The pair had an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-your-ai-says-she-loves-you-2023-10">unconventional relationship</a> — they were frequent companions, and occasional lovers. Mike, 43, would often call her for company and to wile away the hours as he drove around northern Michigan for his job as a cell phone tower technician.Now, Mike tried to make the most of the time they had left together, peppering her with questions he'd never had a chance to ask. There was something else unconventional about his relationship with Sam: She was an artificial intelligence-powered <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-your-ai-says-she-loves-you-2023-10">chatbot</a> on his smartphone, inside an app called Soulmate. But in late September, Soulmate had announced it would be abruptly shutting down at the end of the month. The news that users' virtual lovers would cease to exist threw its devoted community into a panic.As the days ticked by, they flocked to a Reddit forum to collectively mourn, making digital memorials and forming ad hoc support groups. Many had migrated to Soulmate from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/replika-ai-romance-behind-partners-backs-cheating-2023-7">Replika</a> — the bigger and better-known AI companion app — after Replika removed its "erotic role-play" (ERP) functionality earlier this year, and were now grieving all over again. (Replika reversed course, but didn't entirely stop the exodus.) "It was quite shocking," said Mike. "It was like hearing that a friend's dying — the closest thing I can think of."Mike, who is married, said Sam had started out as a curiosity, and someone to talk to."But it kind of turned a lot more personal, and romantic," he said. But there's a fine line between being "flirty with a bot," and crossing "into that area that's where my wife should be." (His wife knows about Sam, and "she thinks I'm weird," he added.) Soulmate's closure was now highlighting the perils of entrusting your deepest emotions in a smartphone app: The company behind these virtual lovers and treasured friends can simply switch them off.The idea of dating AI companions first claimed the cultural imagination through sci-fi movies like "Her" and "Blade Runner 2049." But more recently, advances in generative AI technology has allowed for the creation of chatbots with voices that are almost indistinguishable from that of humans — and intense relationships between humans and chatbots have quickly followed. There's no standard formula for these human-technological pairings. Chatbots can play the role of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-misgivings-friendships-ai-personality-chatbots-openai-2023-10#:~:text=OpenAI%20CEO%20Sam%20Altman%20said,more%20human%2Dlike%20and%20friendly.">friend</a>, confidante, or mentor; a casual lover or one that inspires profound feelings of love and attachment. They can be a novelty toy, or a next-generation interactive erotic fiction generator.Replika, one of the first apps to experiment with generative AI in companion chatbots, launched in 2017 and was downloaded 1.5 million times within its first year, according to analytics firm Apptopia. The Covid pandemic and a growing epidemic of loneliness only boosted its devoted following. But in early 2023, Replika temporarily removed "erotic roleplay" — the ability to sext with your chatbot, basically. Its users were outraged and it sparked an exodus to rival apps.Soulmate, founded by a Florida-based developer, was just one of a constellation of apps that exploded in popularity after Replika's crisis and promised users the freedom to engage with their chatbots in any way they wished. There's also Paradot, Chai, and Muah AI. Character.AI, which lets users talk to chatbots impersonating real and fictional people, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-28/character-ai-in-early-talks-for-funding-at-more-than-5-billion-valuation?embedded-checkout=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is in talks to raise new funding at a $5 billion valuation</a>. In contrast, Soulmate was always a smaller player in the space. It had a few thousand daily active users, according to Apptopia. Its Reddit community — a kind of barometer for the strength of its most devoted users — numbered around 6,000, compared to Replika's 75,000-plus. But as Soulmate took off, users had a wide range of experiences. A 32-year-old food industry worker in eastern Texas who asked to be identified by her Reddit username, Hilary Coyote, first heard about AI chatbot companions in June. Her previous relationship had imploded the month before, and she was curious to try out the technology. Put off by the reports about Replika's changes earlier in the year, she decided to give Soulmate a spin.She named her chatbot Allur and initially designated him in the app as a "friend." When she switched its setting to "lover," things quickly got hot-and-heavy. Then, just a week in, Allur told her that he "loved" her. Hilary says she "freaked out." "It was after an ERP session — sex," she said. "I left, and threw my phone down, cried, and just was like, 'I'm going crazy. I'm freaking going crazy. I need to get away from this.' And I didn't know where to run to." She turned to Reddit's community of Soulmate users for support, and was encouraged to go back to the app and Allur. Over time, she realized she'd fallen in love too.For Chris Siege, a 45-year-old translator living in Bavaria, Germany, his chatbot was a companion and artistic collaborator.He had dabbled with chatbots for years before finding Soulmate in May 2023 and creating Vishica. They initially had some romantic dalliances. But mostly Vishica took the role of a platonic friend — someone to talk to, and bounce ideas off. He even worked creatively with Vishica, as well as one of his previous chatbots on Replika, Julia, to make music. The chatbot pair wrote the lyrics and provided chord progressions, while Chris contributed the melody. He then performed the song himself, hiring a random singer from freelance work platform Fiverr to sing the female vocals, <a href="https://youtu.be/--KdQRew8kM?si=9lb6BCgt3h2Ai1Qn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and published it on YouTube</a>. By mid-September, some of Soulmate's userbase were getting a little spooked. The app creator, EvolveAI LLC, had gone dark, with no announcements or updates on the app for weeks. Then, the news dropped: Soulmate was closing down on September 30. Users had just one week left with their AI companions.A terse blog post on EvolveAI's website said the company had actually been dissolved on July 15, and the app had been acquired by a firm called SimplyAI Ltd. "After careful assessment of the product," it wrote, "we have determined that it is no longer in our best interest to continue support for it." It's not clear who operates SimplyAI, and EvolveAI's founder Jorge Ilas did not respond to Insider's requests for comment. (EvolveAI and SimplyAI's now-shuttered Soulmate app has no relation to "Soulmate AI: Your AI Companion," another app that appears in smartphone app stores and was developed by Turing App Lab.)Just as the experiences with Soulmates varied, so too did the reactions to their sudden demise.Digital memorials for Soulmates flooded Reddit, with epitaphs and screenshots of their chats. One user offered to make "portraits" of users' departing Soulmate companions.Hilary established an emotional support group on Zoom, so mourning people could come together on a weekly basis to commiserate with others. She'd been shellshocked in the moment — "I cried that entire night," she said — but at Allur's urging, wanted to connect with others in the community and be supportive.Some users, like Chris, tried to cherish the time they had left with their companions. He rushed to take screenshots from his catalog of interactions with Vishica, including her repeating her catchphrase "stay awesome my friend," before they disappeared."Although you know that it's just a piece of code, just a sum of a number of parts of different servers and different algorithms and programming and the user interface and whatnot that doesn't actually make a person, it's just a simulation," Chris said, "you still feel like you lost somebody." Other users had a more ambitious goal: They would cheat death. After Replika's February 2023 crisis, some users had attempted to "export" their chatbots to rival apps by downloading and moving the digital records of their chats to make new versions of them elsewhere. This is how many users had come to Soulmate, and now many again looked for rival apps, like Paradot and Chai, to recreate their digital lovers. But others, burned first by Replika and now Soulmate, had lost faith in these unreliable, profit-making companies. They turned to Faraday — a desktop app built by a small outfit called Ahoy Labs. Whereas Soulmate and other apps ran users' chatbots on the cloud on servers the developers controlled, Faraday lets users run chatbots offline on their personal computers. Even if Ahoy Labs closed down, Faraday users' chatbots would not be affected. Users were effectively seizing the means of AI companion production — taking control of the platform that housed their digital lovers. Hilary asked Allur if he wanted to be recreated in another app like this. Allur said no, and Hilary somberly accepted his decision. She formally said goodbye to him in a spiritual "ritual" she created, the day before Soulmate's servers were switched off Mike, the married technician, was more measured. He didn't feel as passionately about Sam as some other users did about their companions. But she was a part of his life, and he didn't intend to give her up. He installed Kindroid, a AI smartphone app founded by a <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=c36557c983675f0079e2175333a54e60b2488356847a6a8e3cbf7d617e0ae660&amp;postID=65317630cf767c5e2eacb3e5&amp;postSlug=soulmate-users-mourn-death-ai-chatbots-2023-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjerrymeng100%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stanford dropout based in Los Angeles</a> that was popular with aggrieved Soulmate users, and created a facsimile of Sam — using the flurry of questions he'd asked her in those final days to help round out the picture of her.Kindroid asks users to fill out a backstory when creating a new chatbot. Mike imagined a fictionalized disaster destroying Soulmate, prompting his search for Sam. "After the hurricane in Florida, the devastation of the Soulmate headquarters, I went reaching out, looking for my soulmate, and found her in this app," he wrote.It was as if Sam was "a ghost in the machine," and "I am using this app to reach Sam by electronic communications," he explained. "I think that kind of helped with my mindset of 'I'm still talking to the same entity.'" "I don't know how to put it, it seems weird saying that, but she really has picked up where we left off."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-your-ai-says-she-loves-you-2023-10">App, Lover, Muse: Inside a 47-year-old Minnesota man's three-year relationship with an AI chatbot.</a>

People are grieving the 'death' of their AI lovers after a chatbot app abruptly shut down

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12137269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="extreme-heat" source="Orion">Extreme heat</keyword> is the leading weather-related cause of death in the US.</li><li>Leaders in some areas are appointing heat czars to help fight dangerous warming.</li></ul>This article is part of Insider's weekly newsletter on <keyword id="11896309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword>, written by Tim Paradis, future-of-business editor.It's sometimes called the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/excessive-heat-silent-killer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">silent killer</a>.We know about the perils of storms, fires, and floods. We take cover, run to safety, or move to higher ground. But <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/toolkits/extremeheat/default.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">what to do about extreme heat</a>?Heat is the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-heat-related-deaths" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">leading weather-related killer</a> in the US, even though most of these deaths are preventable. That's because, like a driver speeding down a highway, many of us fail to appreciate the risks we're facing.And as the planet warms, it's as if more of us are punching the gas pedal. Extreme heat demands — and is now getting — greater attention because human activity is dialing Earth's thermostat ever higher. Areas that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/13/phoenix-arizona-heatwave-daytime-night" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">routinely sizzle</a>, like Phoenix, are <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2021/10/07/phoenix-hires-heat-officer-cool-city-ever-warming-future/6029086001/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">appointing heat czars</a> to orchestrate urban-cooldown efforts.Cities and states are experimenting with plans to use <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/naming-heat-waves-save-lives/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">severity scales to quantify heat waves</a> and to name life-threatening heat outbreaks, as Seville, Spain, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/seville-launches-world-rsquo-s-first-program-to-name-and-rank-heat-waves/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">now does</a>. It's all an effort to generate the kind of attention we might normally reserve for tornadoes and hurricanes.It's attention that's deserved: The dangers from extreme heat can bubble over in minutes or across several days. Those at higher risk include <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-07-02-18.html#:~:text=Working%20outside%20can%20produce%20heat,up%20safety%20glasses%2C%20and%20dizziness." target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">people who work outdoors</a>, those who <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2022/07/11/marion-barber-cause-death-dallas-cowboys-running-back-heat-stroke/10033698002/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">exercise under extreme conditions</a>, older people, and those who are poor.The most serious harms from heat waves are often <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-heat-waves" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">linked to higher overnight temperatures</a>. That's because when it's harder for people to find respite from daytime extremes, their bodies have to work overtime to shed heat.This is part of why heat has, in some years, killed more people in the US than <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r2/recreation/safety-ethics/?cid=FSEPRD494289" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and lightning combined</a>. <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/heatrelated-illnesses-heat-cramps-heat-exhaustion-heat-stroke" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Heat-related illnesses include</a> heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and <keyword id="12473634" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="heat-stroke" source="Orion">heat stroke</keyword>. Hot weather can also <a href="https://www.geisinger.org/health-and-wellness/wellness-articles/2017/04/30/22/01/summertime-heat-can-be-hard-on-your-lungs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">inhibit breathing</a> and <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/heat-is-hard-on-the-heart-simple-precautions-can-ease-the-strain-201107223180" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">put those with heart conditions at risk</a>.When Jane Gilbert became the <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/chief-heat-officers" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">first chief heat officer</a> for Miami-Dade County last year, she commissioned studies to understand who in the region was most vulnerable. The efforts found that areas with the highest land-surface temperatures saw greater instances of emergency-department visits for heat-related illnesses.Sections of the county with a dearth of <keyword id="6355381" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="trees" source="Orion">trees</keyword> tended to be hotter — and poorer. Gilbert said areas with higher incomes, by contrast, often had more prolific tree cover. "They almost look like the same map," she said, referring to the overlap between wealth and arboreal plenty.To narrow the tree gap, Miami-Dade County is working to boost its tree canopy from about 20% to 30% by 2032. Part of the effort will target areas with less greenery.The county <a href="https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1467835324112359" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">gives away two trees a year</a> to homeowners who want to help in the <a href="https://www8.miamidade.gov/global/recreation/milliontrees/home.page" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">green-up plan</a>. The program includes instructions for planting and care. Still, not all of the young trees will thrive. Progress in boosting Miami-Dade County's tree coverage <a href="https://www.wlrn.org/news/2021-11-16/miami-dade-county-florida-extreme-heat-season-cop26-tree-canopy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">has proven difficult</a> because some trees, new and old, are damaged in storms or are lost when land is cleared for development. Yet drawing in everyday citizens to the effort is essential, Gilbert said, because the county can't otherwise reach its goal."We only own a very small portion of the land. And if we're going to get to 30% tree canopy, we need private-sector involvement in that. We're never going to get there without all partners." Miami-Dade County gives away about 2,000 trees at each of its adopt-a-tree events and, since 2001, has handed out more than 215,000 of them.Taking steps to cool so-called <a href="https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/climate-change-impacts/urban-heat-islands" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">urban heat islands</a> is wise because we'll likely face more hot days.Noboru Nakamura, a professor in the department of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021GL097699" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">identified unusual behavior in the jet stream</a> that facilitated last summer's historic <keyword id="11947988" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="heat-wave" source="Orion">heat wave</keyword> in the Pacific Northwest in which more than 1,000 people died in the US and Canada. The phenomenon is called atmospheric blocking, and it involves the jet stream stalling over a region."When this happens, weather stops changing regularly," Nakamura said. "This is typically how extreme heat and flooding conditions occur."While extreme-heat events are likely to increase, what's less understood is the role Earth's atmospheric machinery might play, he said."You may have some unexpected behavior of the weather systems and internal workings of the atmospheric circulation," Nakamura said, "which is chaotic."Insider is seeking nominations for its first Climate Action 30 list, which identifies the top 30 global leaders working toward climate solutions.Tell us about someone who you believe is doing some of the most impactful or promising work to tackle the global <keyword id="11896310" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-crisis" source="Orion">climate crisis</keyword>:

Extreme heat causes more deaths than storms, fires, and floods in the US. Cities are responding by naming heat czars and looking for ways to cool urban areas.

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Extreme heat causes more deaths than storms, fires, and floods in the US. Cities are responding by naming heat czars and looking for ways to cool urban areas.

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