Regions of Spain received new alerts for hazardous flooding on Thursday, just weeks following torrential rains that claimed the lives of over 200 individuals in Valencia.
Spain issued new flood warnings as torrential rains hit regions like Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Valencia, and Andalusia.
These warnings follow the catastrophic flooding in Valencia, which claimed over 220 lives in late October.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez highlighted the disaster at COP29, urging urgent climate action.
Climate change intensified the recent storm, with experts noting a 12% increase in rainfall intensity in Valencia.
Global leaders, including Croatia’s Prime Minister, stressed the Mediterranean’s vulnerability to rising temperatures.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called 2024 a “masterclass in climate devastation.
”Experts warn of increasing climate extremes if immediate global measures aren’t taken.
Spain issued new flood alerts in several regions, just weeks after deadly flooding in Valencia claimed over 220 lives. The recent storms are linked to climate change, with experts warning that the frequency and intensity of extreme weather are escalating. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged urgent climate action at COP29, emphasizing the need to address rising temperatures and their devastating impacts. Global leaders from various nations echoed concerns about the Mediterranean’s vulnerability to climate change, calling for immediate intervention. Experts predict that without decisive global action, severe weather events will continue to intensify.
Spain and Climate Change
Thousands were displaced from their residences in southern Spain as AEMET issued red or orange alerts for severe storms and heavy to torrential rain across nine regions on Tuesday. The alerts issued by the national meteorological organization encompassed Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and sections of the Valencia and Andalusia regions.
It occurs two weeks after at least 220 individuals perished in Valencia amid Spain’s most severe flooding in years. Just days after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez highlighted the region’s tragedy in his address at COP29.
Luckily, the DANA weather system causing the rainfall is not as severe this time. However, these frequent extreme weather warnings are intensifying the pressure on global leaders to reduce planet-warming emissions at the UN climate summit.
Sanchez was not by himself. Nations from every corner of the globe utilized the summit to share stories of the severe weather incidents that have ravaged their communities. Numerous incidents – ranging from droughts to hurricanes and fatal floods – have occurred in merely the past year.
According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, 2024 has proven to be a “masterclass in climate devastation.”
For Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, it was clear that the events in Valencia in late October serve as a powerful reminder of what is at risk.
“I have arrived to inform you that climate change takes lives, and in Valencia, it has claimed the lives of 220 of my fellow citizens,” he said to global leaders assembled in Baku on Tuesday.
In his speech, he portrayed numerous houses coated in mud and expressed sorrow that many individuals were still unaccounted for following the devastating weather disaster.
As all nations face the effects of climate change, ranging from harsher storms to severe wildfires, he stated that “urgent actions” were necessary. The Spanish PM also emphasized that cities need to be reconstructed to endure the most severe challenges ahead.
“Certain individuals continue to question the scientific proof of climate change,” Sanchez stated at COP29. “Let’s not delay.” We have observed governments hesitate and retreat simply to increase the wealth of the rich. “This equation is guiding us towards catastrophe.”
Sanchez isn’t the sole leader to mention the flooding in Spain during the UN climate conference.
Croatia’s Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, emphasized that this year, severe floods in Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and southern Croatia have demonstrated the destructive effects of increasing temperatures in Europe.
“The Mediterranean, among the most at-risk areas, requires immediate intervention,” he stated.
Spain serves as a ‘wake-up’ reminder regarding our planet’s rising temperatures.
Sanchez returned to Valencia at the conclusion of his speech, stating that the only thing as crucial as aiding the victims of the Valencia tragedy was to ensure it doesn’t occur again.
DANA weather patterns happen when a low-pressure area is separated from the primary jet stream flow. This keeps them anchored in one spot, causing rainfall for multiple days. When chilly air high in the atmosphere encounters warm air from the Mediterranean, the storm grows stronger.
While such weather occurrences are common along Spain’s Mediterranean coast, experts have indicated that climate change contributed to the increased intensity of the heavy rainfall. A quick examination by researchers at World Weather Attribution regarding the events in Valencia revealed that climate change increased the intensity of rainfall by approximately 12 percent and rendered it twice as probable.
It conveys a powerful message globally regarding the impacts of climate change, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization Celeste Saulo stated at COP29 on Monday.
“The astonishing volume of rain in Spain served as a reminder of the increased water capacity of a warmer atmosphere.”
She cautioned that every fraction of a degree of warming is significant regarding rising climate extremes, impacts, and risks.
Saulo expressed that she believes individuals are not ready for occurrences like these.
“There is a significant difficulty in establishing protocols that enable individuals to adequately prepare for and respond to the intensity of the challenges we are facing.”
As the world approaches a 3.1C increase in temperature this century without more decisive measures from global leaders, it serves as a serious reminder of the significance of the discussions, even while international divisions worsen in Baku.
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