Severe storms in southern Europe are becoming increasingly destructive, with flooding forcing mass evacuations in several countries and disrupting daily life, Euronews reported.
What happened?
Storm Leonardo is the latest extreme weather event to hit Portugal and Spain after weeks of heavy rain. In some areas, rainfall totals reached typical year-round levels in just one day.
According to Euronews, when the storm struck, Leonardo brought heavy rainfall, causing water levels in rivers such as the Sado River to rise and causing widespread flooding. Thousands of people in the two countries were ordered to evacuate. In Portugal, a man in his 60s died after being swept away while trying to drive through floodwaters near the Serpa Dam, the national civil protection agency reported.
In Spain, national weather agency AEMET put parts of Andalusia on the highest red alert, warning of “unusual” rainfall and the risk of landslides.
According to “European News”, AEMET spokesman Rubén del Campo said that the mountain town of Grazalema received more than 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) of rain in one day, which is “normal rainfall for Madrid throughout the year.”
Why are unpredictable floods a concern?
Such flooding events pose a direct threat to public safety and threaten homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.
For example, severe flooding in the United States, Bangladesh, and Chile required evacuations. Additionally, the consequences tend to last longer after floodwaters recede. Recurrent flooding events can damage infrastructure, contaminate drinking water, disrupt local economies and drive up insurance costs, making recovery and reconstruction difficult.
According to the journal Nature, these threats increase when rising global temperatures bring more moisture into the atmosphere, leading to heavier rainfall when storms hit. What makes it even more difficult is that when extreme flooding occurs (especially continuous ones), people are cut off from the grid, as in Portugal.
What steps are being taken to help those affected?
Emergency crews in Portugal and Spain have deployed thousands of rescuers to assist with evacuation and recovery efforts and rescue people trapped by landslides and fallen trees. Officials warned that more severe weather is expected in the coming days, but it will be milder.
Generally speaking, reducing flood severity requires limiting factors that exacerbate extreme weather and increasing community preparedness, such as investing in community solar. Readers can learn more about how storms are becoming more destructive by exploring key climate issues.
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