The chaos in Buriticupu is a microcosm of the climate crisis unfolding around us

In the Brazilian city of Buriticupu, alarming environmental issues are causing residents to abandon their homes as the ground slowly sinks beneath their feet. In this northeastern Amazon region, a state of emergency has been announced as approximately 1,200 individuals face the prospect of displacement due to hazardous landslides, which have already claimed several buildings.

The situation stems from years of heavy rainfall combined with poor construction practices, a problem residents have endured for about three decades.

The situation in Buriticupu reflects a broader trend in climate crisis-related natural disasters around the globe.

Severe natural phenomena: surging in the past fifty years

According to Roman Vilfand, the scientific director of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia, the number of hazardous natural phenomena—ranging from severe cold snaps and heatwaves to intense storms and tornadoes—has surged by five to six times over the past 50 years.

Vilfand noted that these extreme weather events are closely tied to global warming, which increases thermal energy and intensifies climate anomalies, leading to erratic weather patterns worldwide.

So, Buriticupu is a microcosm of the climate crisis chaos unfolding around us.

Further illustrating the consequences of climate change, Indonesia experienced powerful rains in January, which resulted in devastating floods and landslides that destroyed infrastructure, including bridges and homes. The seasonal rains are not uncommon, but this particular episode led to the loss of 21 lives and compelled around 300 people to seek emergency shelter.

In China, a significant earthquake on January 7, the largest in the past five years, struck the Tibet Autonomous Region, resulting in 95 fatalities. The epicentre of the quake was located near Shigatse, a city with a population of around 800,000.

In the US, experts are monitoring the potential eruption of Mount Rainier, a stratovolcano that presents a risk to nearly 90,000 people living in the surrounding urban areas. The threat of lahars—rapid mudflows caused by melting snow and ice—raises concerns similar to those witnessed during the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia, where such phenomena resulted in a tragic loss of life.

Buriticupu and the Global South: affected by the Global North’s greed

Meanwhile, scientists have updated their predictions regarding a large asteroid, previously thought to impact Earth in 2032, now believed to potentially hit the Moon instead. Regardless of its trajectory, its impact could lead to dramatic changes in the planet’s climate, sparking discussions about historical extinction events linked to similar cosmic impacts.

The power of volcanic eruptions also poses a significant threat. If extremely intense, these eruptions can release ash into the stratosphere, creating cooling effects on a global scale by blocking solar energy from reaching the Earth’s surface. A notable example is the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, which led to a drastic temperature drop in the Northern Hemisphere.

As scientists progress in their studies, some predict the year 2025 will be marked by an increase in natural disasters, including flooding, hurricanes, and geomagnetic activity alongside abnormal heat and melting glaciers, which may lead to more flooding in cities across the US and parts of Asia. Climate scientists theorise that these forthcoming events would have severe impacts, including possible displacements similar to those seen in Buriticupu.

While the impacts of climate change disproportionately affect regions of the Global South – like in Buriticupu – the role of countries in the Global North in causing these crises through industrial emissions and other practices cannot be understated.

Featured image via the Canary