Climate crisis fuelled storm that sank yacht in Sicily, say experts

Source(s): Guardian, the (UK)
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Record temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea this summer contributed to the freak storm that sank a superyacht off the coast of Sicily, with similar extreme events expected to increase in frequency and intensity as the climate crisis tightens its grip, Italian scientists have said.

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"For example, 30 years ago an event of this kind might have brought winds of 100kmh," he said. "Today it's 150kmh because sea temperatures of three degrees higher means an enormous quantity of energy for storms, and when cold air arrives it's explosive."

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Italy has become known by scientists as one of Europe's climate risk hotspots owing to a range of vulnerabilities including its geographical location, diverse topography and densely inhabited Mediterranean coastal areas.

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Within the last three years, the country has been hit by devastating floods, landslides, wildfires, record-breaking heatwaves and the collapse of a glacier in the Dolomites which killed 11 hikers.

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