Engineers Worry Cities, Subway Networks Are Not Ready For Climate-Fueled Flooding

04:32

August 09, 2021

July 15, 2021: The Ahr river floats past destroyed houses in Insul, Germany. Due to heavy rain falls, the Ahr river dramatically went over the banks the evening before. The mayors of three German towns badly hit by July's deadly floods are appealing for more help from the state and federal governments, saying the disaster caused billions of euros worth of damage. (Michael Probst/AP/File)

Recent flooding in Germany, the United Kingdom and China has swamped subway systems and swept away homes. These environmental crises have also underscored the need for engineering and urban design solutions for natural disasters turbo-charged by climate change.

Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with Robert Traver, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Villanova University.

This segment aired on August 9, 2021.

Covering Climate Here & Now: Editors' Picks