At least 72 people are known to have died after torrential rain caused devastating flash floods in south-eastern Spain. Spain’s defence minister Margarita Robles told reporters that the flooding across the region was “an unprecedented phenomenon“.
A tragic event
Heavy rain and hailstorms have severely damaged a big part of the country, causing quick flooding across multiple areas. More than a year’s worth of rain poured in eight hours in the town of Chiva, which is close to Valencia. Local officials claim it is ”impossible” to determine the exact number of people who have perished.
It has declared a red alert in the Valencia region and the second-highest level of alert in parts of Andalusia.
The floods have disrupted trasportation, causing some flights to be canceled and others to be redirected to other destinations after landing in Valencia. In the Valencia region, all train services have been suspended, and both the main and secondary roads have ben closed.
The cause
The intense rain has been attributed to a phenomenon known as the gota frìa, which occurs when cold air moves over the warm waters of the Meditteranean Sea. This creates atmospheric instability, causing warm, satured air to rise rapidly, leading to the formation of towering cumuloninbus clouds in a matter of hours, and dumping heavy rain across eastern parts of Spain.
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