Humans increasingly settling in high-risk flood zones, study warns

Humans are increasingly settling in areas highly exposed to dangerous flooding, particularly in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh, a study warned Wednesday (4/10).

The research, led by a World Bank economist, warns that settlement growth in flood zones has vastly outpaced growth in safe areas since 1985. The study analyzed 30 years of satellite imagery tracking the expansion of human settlement globally, along with flood maps. While past studies have tended to focus on a particular region or type of flooding, the new research looked worldwide at coastal, rainfall and river flooding risks.

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