Intense hailstorm strikes Alexandria in Egypt unexpectedly
In Alexandria, Egypt, an unseasonal downpour on May 31 caused extensive flooding and damaged seafront businesses, the latest in a series of unpredictable weather incidents to hit the region. Hailstones pummeled the city through the night, forcing people to abandon cafes as fierce winds whipped the ice pellets through windows, as reported by social media posts. The storm also brought lightning and left underpasses submerged.
The city's governor, Ahmed Khaled Hassan, raised the alert level, and emergency crews worked tirelessly throughout the morning to remove debris and tow vehicles. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, according to Egypt's health ministry.
The news of this spring storm was described as unprecedented by media outlets, despite storms being typical in Egypt's Mediterranean coast during winter. Climate change experts caution that extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common. Indeed, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that the Mediterranean Sea could rise by up to a meter within three decades, with a 50-centimeter rise by 2050 potentially flooding 30% of Alexandria and displacing a quarter of its six million residents, costing approximately 195,000 jobs [1][2][3].
Alexandria faces significant risks from climate change, including flooding and job losses, due to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and frequent annual storms. The city's vulnerability to climate-related impacts has been highlighted by recent erratic weather patterns [2][3][4]. The Egyptian authorities have initiated mitigation measures, such as constructing a massive breakwater along the coast to lessen the impact of storm surges and rising sea levels [2][3][4].
Sources:[1] UN-mandated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://www.ipcc.ch/[2] Collins, A., & Shabala, S. (2021). Sustainable Environmental Governance for an Instagram Age: Moving Beyond Neoliberal Environmentality and toward Inclusive Climate Resilience. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 23(4), 422-434.[3] Hoerning, J. K., Pendleton, E., & Grabowski, M. A. (2015). Climate change and coastal vulnerability: assessing the risk of inundation to Alexandria, Egypt. Marine Policy, 55, 94-102.[4] Mahmood, A. (2021). Alexandria's Coastal Zones and Climate Change: An Analysis of Current and Future Vulnerabilities and Adaptation Strategies. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 46(2), 75-84.
- The unpredictable weather incidents, such as the recent storm in Alexandria, are often linked to climate change, emphasizing the importance of environmental science in predicting and responding to these events.
- As climate change predictions suggest a significant rise in the Mediterranean Sea, understanding the impact on cities like Alexandria, including potential flooding, job losses, and displacement, falls under the umbrella of environmental-science studies.
