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Megaflood threatens California as experts warn of most costly disaster in history

A recent scientific study shows that global warming doubled the possibility of meteorological conditions causing California a flood as devastating as the Great Flood of 1862. The historical nightmare could repeat itself, the Anews reported.
At that time, 160 years ago, 30 days of consecutive rainfall caused a great flood that took over a majority of the state and changed the course of the Los Angeles river, it said.
According to the study by Science Advances, if a similar storm happened today, up to 10 million people would be displaced, main interstate roads would be unusable for months and the public centers would be flooded.
Daniel Swain, a scientist from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an investigator that participated in the study, described the megaflood as a "very serious flood in a wide region that has the potential of causing catastrophic impacts in the affected societies."

The calculations say that the cost might be 5 times more than Hurricane Katrina, the most costly catastrophe in the history of the US.
UN official: The world is not spending enough to prevent floods and heat waves
The study warns: "We discovered that the climate change has already increased the risk of a megaflood in California, but the future climate warming probably would provoke an increase the risk even further."
In 1862, California was home to 500.000 people while at the moment the population of the area supersedes 39 million, which is why Swain also noted that the consequences of this flood would be very different from the 1860s, the report noted.
Source: anews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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