Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Taken from NASA Earth Observatory.
Topic
Floods
Date
October 29-30, 2024
Location
Valencia, Spain
Why was it on the news?
According to Valencia’s state weather agency AEMET, the flash floods were caused by the worst rainfall that hit the region in 28 years (CNN World). As of November 1st, the death toll is estimated at around 205 people and is expected to climb as search and rescue operations continue (CBS News). Victims were reportedly frustrated as the government emergency alert for the flood did not occur until the floods had already started (CNN World). According to the country’s Ministry of Defense, 1,700 soldiers were deployed to assist with rescue operations. The heavy rain was likely caused by a cold drop, where a pool of cooler air separates from the jet stream, causing it to slow which leads to high-impact rainfall (CNN World). According to phys.org, intense droughts were one of the reasons why the floods had been so deadly. The region experienced two consecutive years of intense droughts, which resulted in the ground not being able to absorb a big amount of water. Climate change was also partly responsible since it results in warmer air, which absorbs more moisture which would then lead to more violent storms (phys.org). According to Angel Estrada, central bank of Spain’s head of financial stability, the floods could have an economic impact of around 13 billion euros to households and 7 billion euros to companies (The Weather Network).
Sources
- https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/30/europe/spain-flash-floods-intl/index.html
- https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/31/europe/spain-deadly-flash-flooding-wwk-intl/index.html
- https://phys.org/news/2024-10-spain.html
- https://phys.org/news/2024-10-spain-horrific-nasty-fall-climate.htmlspa
- The Weather Network
- https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153533/valencia-floods