In brief
Recent severe weather has led to renewed flash floods in Girona, sweeping away dozens of cars without reported casualties. The region is bracing for more rain as authorities face criticism over their emergency response.
Heavy rains once again ravaged the northeastern Spanish town of Cadaqués, located in Girona, where approximately 30 cars were swept away by flash floods, according to reports. Early morning images shared by a local journalist captured the scene of water surging through the streets, with vehicles caught beneath a bridge, but thankfully, no injuries were reported in this latest incident.This round of flooding is part of a broader crisis, as last week's catastrophic deluge in Valencia resulted in over 200 fatalities, marking one of the deadliest flooding events in modern European history. In the wake of these tragic events, public outcry has increased, with many blaming authorities for the slow response in issuing emergency warnings.The Catalonia fire service stated that the flooding in Cadaqués caused a significant pile-up of vehicles, although fortunately, all individuals managed to escape unharmed. The region remains on high alert, with further extreme weather predicted for Friday night. Catalonia’s meteorological service has issued a rain warning for the Alt Emporda area, which includes Cadaqués. Officials caution that rain could fall with intensity exceeding 20 mm (0.7 inches) within a 30-minute span. Past records from 7 and 8 November revealed that Cadaqués received a staggering 76.8 mm (3 inches) of rain, while other nearby towns surpassed 100 mm.Since October, Spain has experienced rainfall 72% higher than the typical levels for that period as documented by Aemet, the national weather agency. Experts assert that climate change has contributed to the increased severity of such flooding events, which have led to harrowing situations, trapping drivers and raising concerns about future weather-related disasters.As memories of last week’s tragedy linger, the political climate in Spain is heating up, with tensions rising amidst debates about responsibility and preparedness for such natural calamities. The impacts of climate change and the government’s response to public safety are under intense scrutiny as residents brace for yet another chance of severe floods.
