Catastrophic Chinese Floods Triggered By Air Pollution

sciencehabit writes: The worst flooding to hit China in 50 years may have been caused by air pollution, according to a new study. Soot in particular contributed to the catastrophic flooding. It prevented rainclouds from forming over the Sichuan basin, which is surrounded by mountains that trap smoke billowing from its industrial centers, and is 'notorious' for its dirty air. That in turn lead to more intense rainfall in the mountains that evening, which eventually led to the massive flooding.