Valencia: How Cold Drop Led to the Disaster Flood in Spain
Drew Mcgee
Saturday, November 2, 2024
The floods in Spain have killed more than 200 people, according to the latest reports
Scientists associate this weather phenomenon with global warming. Given the long-term trend of rising global temperatures, events like the one currently observed in Spain will become more frequent.
At least 205 people have died in Spain as a result of terrible flooding. Most of the dead were in the coastal region of Valencia. Deaths were also reported in the Castilla-La Mancha region and in the province of Malaga in Andalusia, The Guardian reports.
Another 300 people were trapped by flooded roads, El Mundo reported. The torrents of water turned village streets into rivers, destroyed houses, and swept away bridges, railroad tracks, and cars.
In addition, several municipalities were left without drinking water and food. About 150,000 people in Valencia were left without electricity, and only half of them had their electricity restored by the weekend.
According to The Mirror, almost 2,000 people are still missing.
Meanwhile, Spain's meteorological agency has called for caution as storms develop in the Balearic Islands, with "heavy" and "prolonged" rain possible on the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, experts said.
It is known that the largest Spanish tourist center, Mallorca, is already closed to visitors.
Meanwhile, the media are publishing satellite footage showing how the landscape of the area hit by the elements has changed.
What caused the severe flooding in Valencia?
In Spain, the meteorological phenomenon that causes intense rainfall and flooding is referred to as DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels), or, in other words, "cold drop".
The DANA phenomenon is characteristic of the Mediterranean. Scientists associate it with global warming.
DANA occurs when:
Cold air from the north moves to the south.
Warm air sweeps over the Mediterranean rises quickly and forms dense clouds.
Low pressure from the north is blocked by high pressure over the water, causing it to slow down or stop completely.
4. This is how low-pressure zones appear, which hardly move and create unfavorable weather conditions for several days. Heavy rains can flood a certain area for a long period.
5. During warmer months, when intense evaporation occurs from the sea surface, the consequences can be devastating.
What role does climate change play?
DANA floods hit Spain long before human activity had a significant impact on the climate. But climate change is making heavy rainfall even heavier, and therefore more dangerous. That's because hotter air can hold more moisture. So it rains more.
The current 1.3 degrees Celsius rise in global temperatures means the air holds about 9% more moisture.
Marilena Oltmanns, a research fellow at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, England, points out that rising sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean are a "key driver" of severe storms.
Scientists estimate that global warming will reach 3.1 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, further intensifying rainfall, increasing the likelihood of flash floods, and giving affected areas less time to respond.
Water science and health expert Mark Smith from the University of Leeds explains that hot summers also dry out the soil, meaning it absorbs less moisture, causing the 'excess' water to run off into rivers and lakes, which flood faster.
Given the long-term warming trend, events like the one now seen in Spain will become more frequent around the world, scientists say.
The population was not warned in time
Another factor that led to the tragic consequences of the flooding in Spain was the extreme sluggishness of local authorities in terms of warning the population.
In such conditions, forecasts must be accurate, authorities are prepared and residents respond quickly, said Hannah Klock, a lecturer in hydrology at the University of Reading. She believes the deaths in cars could have been prevented.
"This shows that the flood warning system in Valencia has failed," she says. "People need to understand that flood warnings in extreme weather conditions are very different from normal weather reports. We need to think of flood warnings in a completely different way, more like a fire alarm or an earthquake siren."
According to media reports, the meteorological agency issued a red alert for the Valencia region on Tuesday morning and kept it active as the situation worsened throughout the day. However, the Civil Defense Service did not issue a warning until after 8 p.m., urging residents to stay indoors.
For example, the mayor of the municipality of Paiport, Maribel Albalat, noted that emergency services did not warn about the impending danger of flooding, and 62 people died in her city. According to her, many people were trapped.
Several residents of this city also reported that the flooding took them by surprise, there was not even rain that day. The first strange thing was the power outage. According to Andris Klarenburg, a resident of Paiport, the first thing he saw when he looked out of his window were cars floating down the street.
Another eyewitness said the alarm went out when he was already locked in his car and the water was up to his chest.
Just after 8 pm, after an hour of being up to our necks in water and swallowing mud, the alarm went off," he said.
