Viral videos: Floods, forest fires, and other natural disasters

Flash floods, forest fires, and other natural disasters have wreaked havoc across the globe, causing significant destruction to property and loss of life this week. 

The viral videos and tweets from recent events highlight the increasing frequency and severity of these phenomena, often linked to climate change and extreme weather patterns.

In Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, severe flooding on August 8, 2025, submerged vehicles and disrupted daily life, as depicted in a video by @Top_Disaster. 

The muddy waters rose to alarming levels, inundating streets and buildings, showcasing the destructive power of heavy rainfall. 

Similarly, @WeatherMonitors reported freak weather events, including flooding, emphasising the scale of these disasters.

These events are not isolated; they reflect a broader trend where floods have affected nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide between 1994 and 2013, causing over $40 billion in annual damage.

Forest fires have also escalated, with @WeatherMonitors noting significant blazes in historically low-risk areas like the tropics, as well as in Europe and North America.

Between 2023 and 2024, fires accounted for almost half of global tree cover loss, a sharp increase from previous years. 

These fires, often intensified by climate change, have led to long-term environmental damage and economic impacts, affecting regions from Brazil to Canada.

Another video shared on X (@beatsinbrief) shows the devastating effects of  cloudburst that struck Dharali village near Harsil in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, causing severe flash floods in the Khir Ganga River.

Moving images of natural disasters underscore the visual impact and widespread occurrence of these events. 

In Afghanistan, heavy rain and storms have triggered severe flooding in the Khost provincial capital on August 5, 2025, resulting in deaths and damage to property reported.

Torrential rains have also brought severe flooding in Dongguan, in China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday (August 5).

Are natural disasters becoming more frequent and severe, or is it that we’re just able to document these events more today than in the past?

Meanwhile, France is seeing its worst wildfires since the 1950s. Entire towns have been evacuated, as toxic smoke fills the air, and even historic churches lost to the flames.

The fire in Aude, France has engulfed more than 16,000 hectares (larger than the entire city of Paris), with 3 people missing, while 25 houses and 35 cars were also destroyed.

In Canada, 741 wildfires are raging, 304 out of control.

So far in 2025, 16.5 million acres have burned — reportedly the second-worst fire season ever so far, behind only 2023.

Experts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pointed out extreme weather from global warming increases heatwave frequency, intensifying health risks and energy demands.

Moreover, this extreme weather escalates flooding due to rising sea levels and heavy rainfall, damaging infrastructure and ecosystems. This assessment was also contained in the IPCC Sixth Assessment report in 2021. 

The Asia-Pacific region, known for its vulnerability, continues to be a hotspot for such disasters, while countries like Bahamas, Haiti, and Zimbabwe experiencing high disability-adjusted life years lost due to these events.

The sheer magnitude of destruction and disruption highlights the human cost of these disasters, as well as the desperation and hope amidst the chaos.

As climate change exacerbates these events, the world faces a critical challenge in mitigating their impact and adapting to a new reality of intensified natural disasters. 

Collective response is a must – by prioritising resilience and sustainable practices to safeguard lives and property.