In recent days, intensive rainfall has been observed in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula, as well as in several of our regions. The heavy precipitation observed once again demonstrates that weather conditions in large cities can sometimes alter the rhythm of daily life. This is not considered a phenomenon exclusive to a single city. Rainfall exceeding the norm in a short period creates a similar picture in many developed capitals around the world.
As an example, if we look at global experience, according to long-term statistics for London, the city's annual precipitation is approximately 600 mm. This is a significantly higher figure compared to Baku. Nevertheless, in July 2021, London experienced nearly a month's worth of rainfall in just a few hours. As a result, dozens of homes were flooded, metro stations were closed, and services were restricted in some hospitals. This event demonstrated that even a city with extensive experience in high rainfall can face difficulties in the face of extreme precipitation occurring in a short period.
A similar situation is characteristic of Paris. In Paris, annual precipitation averages between 600-650 mm. Despite this, in recent years, during heavy rains, the level of the Seine River rises, riverside areas are flooded, and traffic movement is restricted. Furthermore, during a powerful storm in 2025, flooding incidents were also recorded in some parts of the city, which did not pass without affecting the capital and the quality of life.
Another example concerns Dubai. In this city, located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, the average annual precipitation is less than approximately 100 mm. However, in April 2024, more than 140 mm of rain fell within 24 hours. More precisely, Dubai received more water in one day than its annual norm. As a result, the airport partially ceased operations, main roads were submerged, and serious problems arose in the city's infrastructure.
Facts based on global practice clearly indicate that the issue is not how much rain a city receives overall, but rather the intensity of the precipitation. That is, when several times the normal amount of water falls within a few hours, the infrastructure of any city – be it a “rainy” city like London or an “arid” city like Dubai – becomes overloaded.
Experts evaluate this as a “flash flood” or an “extreme precipitation episode.” In such cases, drainage systems (infrastructure systems built to remove rain, snowmelt, and excess water from an area) struggle to convey such a large volume of water in a short period, inevitably leading to water accumulation on the streets.
The situation in Armenia is also not new for the region: a similar scenario was experienced in Tbilisi...
Although the torrential rains and floods observed in Armenia in recent days may seem like an extraordinary event at first glance, they are not new to the region. In recent years, a similar scenario has recurred several times in the South Caucasus.
The events that occurred in Armenia and Georgia in May 2024 clearly demonstrated this. As a result of heavy rains, rivers overflowed their banks, several people lost their lives, and hundreds were forced to leave their homes. Some settlements remained completely cut off and isolated. At the same time, the flooding of streets and the halt of transport in Georgia's Marneuli and Bolnisi regions revealed the scale of the situation.
In this context, the most striking example is what happened in Tbilisi. In August 2023, heavy rain that fell on the city changed the situation within a few hours – streets and underpasses were filled with water, trees fell, and power lines were damaged. During the events, rescuers were mainly engaged in draining water and pumping operations. City services, as was also the case in European examples, attributed the problem not only to precipitation but also to clogged drainage lines.
Another interesting point regarding Tbilisi is the scale of precipitation recorded in 2023. The volume of rain that fell during that period was higher compared to the flood that occurred in 2015 and caused severe consequences. During those same periods, as a result of the 2015 flood, 19 people lost their lives, and a part of the city suffered significant damage.
Nevertheless, it is not correct to present the scenario created by intensive rainfall as a problem specific to a single city. Parallel to the example of the South Caucasus, the fact that cities with different climates and capabilities, such as London, Paris, and Dubai, face the same phenomenon indicates that this is already a clear reality encountered globally by all, and especially by large cities.
