Heavy rainfall continues to disrupt Spain on Thursday, as the country faces its second powerful storm in two weeks. On Wednesday, flooding wreaked havoc, especially in Malaga, where the hospital was flooded and forced to suspend most operations. Over 4,000 people were evacuated, and authorities conducted 30 rescue missions. While the storm caused significant material damage and disruptions like canceled flights and transport services, no casualties were reported.
This comes after devastating flooding in Valencia on October 29, which claimed at least 224 lives, marking it as the worst natural disaster in recent Spanish history. The Spanish government has allocated around $14 billion in aid to help rebuild the affected areas. The Valencia region, hit hardest by last month’s floods, managed to avoid severe rainfall overnight, though some parts experienced heavy showers. As of Thursday, schools remained closed in parts of Valencia, and other provinces like Granada, Huelva, Cadiz, and Seville, as the storm moved towards western Andalusia.
While Spain’s Mediterranean coast is accustomed to storms, experts warn that such extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change. At COP29, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez linked the deadly floods to climate change, calling for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, criticizing the failure of governments to act decisively in the face of the growing crisis.
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