The weather has been quite unstable in the peninsula in recent months, in which most expected high temperatures and clear skies. One of the last places that are suffering the consequences is Zaragoza, where this Thursday afternoon there was a strong storm that is causing chaos in the Aragonese capital.
The region was hit by a series of storms in a short period on during the afternoon and evening of 06 July 2023. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) reported the town of Alcañiz in Teruel Province recorded 46 mm of rain in a few hours, with 27.6 mm falling in just 10 minutes. Meanwhile in the region capital Zaragoza, the weather station at Valdespartera in the city recorded 54 mm during the storm, and 19.6 mm in 10 minutes. Videos shared on Social Media showed raging flood waters sweeping through central parts of the city of Zaragoza, in particular along the Z-30 road in the Parque Venecia neighbourhood. Firefighters had to rescue around a dozen people who were trapped on the roof of their vehicles or clinging to trees.- Spain – Dramatic Flash Floods in Zaragoza After 20mm of Rain in 10 Minutes – FloodList
King Felipe was pelted with mud, bricks, bottles and other objects during his visit to the flood-stricken town of Paiporta.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 211 people, with almost two thousand still missing.
The villagers were furious with the lack of warning by the authorities about the incoming floodwaters, as well as the absence of recovery personnel.
Sánchez himself was also targeted by furious locals on Sunday. Spanish media reported that the prime minister was due to accompany the king during his visit to Paiporta, but was forced to turn back after his vehicle was pelted with rocks.
WATCH: Spanish King Booed, Pelted with Mud and Bricks by Revolting Villagers Affected by Deadly Flood
The link brings up two overlaid images with a slider in the middle that can be dragged either left or right, showing the effect of the floods.
Intense rainfall in eastern Spain produced deadly and destructive flash floods in the province of Valencia. On October 29, 2024, more than 300 millimeters (12 inches) of rain fell in parts of the province, reported Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET. In the town of Chiva, nearly 500 millimeters (20 inches) fell in 8 hours.
The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured this image (right) showing widespread flooding of urban and agricultural lands in and around the coastal city of Valencia on October 30. Sediment-laden floodwaters also filled the channel of the Turia river, which empties into the Balearic Sea (part of the Mediterranean), and the L’Albufera coastal wetlands south of the city. For comparison, the image on the left, also acquired by Landsat 8, shows the same area in late October 2022. (More recent Landsat scenes of the region were cloud-covered or otherwise unfit for an image comparison.)
The rains came from a high-altitude low-pressure weather system that became isolated from the jet stream, according to AEMET. These storm systems are known locally by the Spanish acronym DANA or more generally as cut-off lows. They occur where cold fronts encounter warm, humid air masses, such as over the Mediterranean Sea. The storms can remain relatively stationary before dissipating, amplifying their flooding potential.
News outlets reported on October 30 that around 100 people—including at least 40 in the town of Paiporta—died in the flooding, and more remained missing. Infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and rail lines sustained damage, and photos show displaced vehicles and debris filling city streets. A military emergency unit deployed more than 1,100 personnel to support rescue operations in the region.
To put this into perspective. The river that ran through the center of Valencia was diverted in 1957 after a devastating flood. Dams were built to stop this ever happening again. In 2021 the Spanish government had 108 of those dams blown up:
