It is by a mere few hours that I escaped the catastrophic floods which heavy rain is causing in Spain. As I lie on my comfortable bed in my campervan Matilda, I reflect on my luck and think of the horrendous destruction that nature has unleashed in the Valencia region, which I left Monday two weeks ago. It is currently causing alarm in Andalusia, Malaga region, one of the most popular tourist attractions.
This is the third winter I am spending in Spain, and there have been some rainy days when the roads were flooded, so that wearing wellies on my dog walks was advisable. However, roads did not become unpassable, and the puddles disappeared within a day or two. The water ran off into the Már Menor, and the strong sun helped to dry the earth fairly quickly.
Catastrophic floods more frequent
This summer, I wrote about being stuck in Budapest because of floods in Austria and Hungary. A friend who has lived several years in a small coastal town between Barcelona and Valencia tells me that the last time it was this bad in Spain was during storm Gloria in early 2020. However, there are regularly backed-up drains, and water seeps into patios and garages whenever there is heavy rain. Electricity and internet can experience brief, intermittent disruptions.
The current catastrophic floods, however, are of historic proportions. Reports about the Valencia floods indicate that it was heavy rain in the mountains that caused the torrents rushing down to the lower regions. This took too many people by surprise. Currently, over 200 deaths and several hundred still missing make this a tragedy that will impact the region for years to come. Apart from the tragedy of the loss of life, there has been massive damage caused to roads and the train network. Electricity and water supply is affected. With dirty water still covering large areas, there is fear of diseases.
Not only have people lost their homes and essential infrastructure been destroyed, but farms have had their fields turn into swamps. This will lead to a huge loss of produce that is vital for the economy of the region. The harvest of citrus fruit and olives due this month has been decimated. We can expect the rising cost of Spanish oranges to reflect the reduction of the usual supply.
Anger grows over incompetence of the authorities
Spanish and international media have shown images of how angry crowds attacked the Spanish royal couple and Prime Minister Sanchez when they came to visit the Valencia region. People blame the authorities for unnecessary loss of lives, as they did not warn of the impending disaster in time for evasive action. Even though weather forecasts warned of the danger of floods, the alarm via text messages telling people to stay at home was not sent out by the local authorities.
The lack of communication in my friend’s region shows grave incompetence. The local paper reports (in Spanish) that the Valencian government called the former socialist mayor twice to enquire how things were in the region. She informed them that she hadn’t been the mayor since the 2023 elections. During the second call, it was she who gave the government the current mayor’s contact details. Such bad communication is bound to have a disastrous effect in emergency situations when time is of the essence.
Feeling of vulnerability in a campervan
My own personal experience of travelling in a campervan through a region that has just been exposed to a natural disaster is that of insecurity. As a European, I have been led to believe that we are relatively safe from dangerous natural events. But this feeling of safety has been shaken. First came the Covid pandemic, which made the very air that we breathe dangerous. Then came the Ukraine war on Europe’s border, threatening neighbouring EU allies and partners. Now, nature itself is showing us through the recent increase in catastrophic events how vulnerable we humans really are.
Rain in Spain catastrophes linked to climate change
Climate experts have been warning about the increased risk of extreme weather events due to climate change for decades. I am old enough to remember protest songs of the sixties about acid rain. In the last decade, unusually heavy rains have become more frequent in many parts of Europe. The BBC reports:
In many places around the world, extreme weather events are becoming stronger, and happening more often, due to climate change. This trend is likely to continue unless countries make steep cuts to emissions of the greenhouse gases – such as carbon dioxide – that are heating up the planet.
But are people prepared to make the necessary changes to their lifestyles for climate action? The expansion of the ULEZ zone to outer London has provoked people to react by protesting and damaging traffic lights. There are still groups of climate deniers, and when young people in groups like Just Stop Oil undertake extreme actions like throwing paint on office doors or gluing themselves to roads to stop traffic, they are imprisoned. I might not condone their methods, but I understand their frustration and their need to do something drastic. They are the ones faced with a planet set to self-destruct.
Starmer promises continued climate action
Currently, world leaders are meeting at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised in his speech that the UK will keep its commitment to urgent climate action.
He said:
This COP, the UK has sent a clear message. We are delivering on our promise for good jobs, cheaper bills, and higher growth. We are backing UK energy and security on the world stage. We are a key partner for countries, for investors and for businesses … And we are renewing UK climate leadership ….
To deliver for Britain.
My mission is to make sure our country … and our children … have the prosperity … the security and the stability … that they deserve for generations to come.
With this government, the UK will lead the way … And lead Britain and the world … into a cleaner, safer, a more prosperous future for all.
We can only hope that the promised urgent action will help to decrease catastrophic natural disasters like those in Spain, and that if they occur, people are better prepared* than the poor population in the Valencia Region have been.
Finally, I cannot leave another event unmentioned: the election of Donald Trump as President of the US. He does not believe that climate change is a threat, despite destructive wildfires and other events in both Canada and the US. We can only hope that a strong united European voice can counteract any US veto to climate action. I for one am glad that the UK is moving closer to its neighbours and allies, but I would feel much safer if the present government were to go much further and apply to join the EU again.
*Editor’s note: This article in the New Civil Engineer indicates that there was actually a plan to prevent such flooding but it had not yet been implemented. Also there are structures to prevent vehicles piling up in flooded city centres.
