Satellite images show the damage caused by the floods in Spain
Climate Change, the Flash Flood, and the Los Alcalas a Las Amenabled by Climate Change: Maria Isabel Albalat’s Laguna de Paiporta
One of the most deadly weather events in Spanish history was the flood. Climate scientists say they see a clear connection between the flash flood and human-caused global warming, adding that climate change made this week’s rainfall heavier and twice as likely.
She wrote that floods highlight the need for increased early warning systems to get people out of harm’s way. She writes: “As the climate continues to be destabilized, no place can count on being spared from these types of unprecedented disasters.”
An analysis from Climate Central, a nonprofit research group, finds that global warming likely increased temperatures in the part of the Atlantic Ocean where most of the moisture contained in the storm originated.
Climate change made this week’s intense rain about 12% heavier and two times as likely, according to a rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution.
An atmosphere made hotter by burning fossil fuels can hold more water vapor, which can make downpours more intense. The world is at least 2.3 degrees warmer than it was in the 1800s. Climate research finds a 1.3 degree temperature increase means the atmosphere can hold about 9% more moisture.
Climate scientists have been warning for a while about the impact of global warming on floods.
NASA Earth Observatory captured the image from its Landsat 8 satellite a day after the historic downpour. It showed parts of the eastern province of Valencia submerged in floodwaters. The channel of the Turia river and the L’Albufera coastal wetlands are filled with sentiment.
There were warnings to Valencia residents in the days leading up to the storm but they were not sent out until the night of the flash floods. By that time, floodwaters had risen up to 6 feet in some areas. The phone alert also came during rush hour in Spain while most people were on their way home.
The debris left in the wake of the flood have hindered the attempts of rescue teams to find missing individuals. Photos and videos from Valencia show cars stacked on top of each other, streets filled with debris and people’s belongings covered in brown mud.
Maria Isabel Albalat, the mayor of one of the impacted towns, Paiporta, said that many streets were still blocked, so rescuers could not fully access her town. She added that when they do get access to a location where one person has been reported dead, they end up discovering three or four bodies.
Prime Minister Pedro Snchez said his government will increase the number of troops and police officers in the region. Local authorities are facing criticism for taking too long to respond.
Climate scientists said that they have seen a clear link between flash floods in Spain and human-caused global warming. An analysis by Climate Central, a nonprofit research group, found that global warming likely increased temperatures in the part of the Atlantic Ocean where most of the moisture contained in the storm originated. Climate scientists have been warning about the impact of global warming on floods.