Soil erosion is making floods more deadly in deserts

The research, conducted by scientists from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the University of Paris Cité, focused on the catastrophic 2023 floods in Derna, Libya, which claimed over 11,300 lives.

A new study published in Nature Communications has revealed that increasing soil erosion due to desertification is exacerbating flood impacts in Middle Eastern and North African port cities.

The research, conducted by scientists from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the University of Paris Cité, focused on the catastrophic 2023 floods in Derna, Libya, which claimed over 11,300 lives.

The authors stress the urgent need for advanced earth observation programs to monitor and characterise arid regions. They also call on policymakers in the Middle East and North Africa to heed scientific warnings and implement strategies to mitigate the risks associated with extreme weather events.