Climate forecasts are frequently bettering, and on this case the massive ranges of rainfall that triggered the floods have been forecast a number of days upfront.
That meant flood preparations could possibly be put in place.
That is partly why the loss of life toll was not as unhealthy as earlier main flooding in 1997 and 2002, although the latest rain was heavier in lots of locations and the floods lined a bigger space.
“There was some huge cash spent after the earlier two floods to [install and update] the flood defences,” explains Mirek Trnka of the World Change Analysis Institute within the Czech Republic, one of many international locations most affected by the flooding.
Within the metropolis of Brno, for instance, the place Prof Trnka relies, not the entire flood defences had been accomplished, however the superior warning allowed authorities to strengthen areas the place there was nonetheless work to be executed.
Not in all places in Europe has been as lucky. The EU has pledged €10bn (£8.3bn) in emergency repairs to assist affected areas.
“It exhibits simply how costly local weather change is,” says Dr Otto.
Over latest a long time, improved flood safety has largely shielded communities from elevated impacts.
However there are considerations that rising temperatures – and so ever growing excessive rainfall – may make them ineffective.
“The [severity of the] flood occasions goes to extend significantly sooner or later, so when you hold the flood protections on the identical degree as they’re immediately, the impacts could develop into insufferable for societies in Europe,” explains Francesco Dottori of IUSS in Pavia, Italy.
There’s after all a transparent approach to cease these rainfall occasions from getting ever worse – slicing emissions of planet-warming gases resembling carbon dioxide.
“Our simulations present that if you’ll be able to hold future world warming beneath 1.5C, which is likely one of the targets of the Paris settlement, then future flood injury will likely be lower by half in comparison with the [business as usual] state of affairs,” Dr Dottori provides.
In any other case, we all know what is going to occur to those occasions sooner or later, Prof Allan says.
“The depth of rainfall and these climate occasions will solely worsen.”
Map by Muskeen Liddar.