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Date Published: 01/11/2024

Spain's storm of the century: How it happened and what went so wrong

The official death toll now stands at over 200, making this week’s storm one of the worst in Spain in 100 years

The more bodies that are found where they became trapped in garages and lower floors of homes, the higher the death count rises and the more we begin to get a true picture of just how deadly this storm really was. It is a tragedy that will live long in the memory of everyone here in Spain, and it is not over yet.

Valencia remains on orange alert this weekend for continued rains, and extreme caution is advised for anyone in the area, while the province of Huelva, in mainland Spain’s far southwestern corner, bordering on Portugal, is on red alert for heavy rains itself this Friday.

On Monday October 28, Spain’s weather service was already forecasting heavy rain and winds, issuing a red alert – the highest possible – for Valencia and Castellón in the northern part of the Valencian Community. Yet, no one could have predicted the devastating force of the storm that would soon arrive. The DANA storm hit with such intensity that Spain is still coming to terms with its impact.

This weather system, formally called ‘Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos’ (or ‘Isolated Depression at High Levels’), formerly known as the ‘Gota Fría’ or Cold Drop, quickly turned from a typical forecast into an escalating catastrophe as rain and winds battered eastern and southeastern Spain.

The Valencian Community has borne the brunt of this disaster, which has now tragically claimed at least 205 lives at the time of writing (Friday afternoon), with the official death toll rising each day as more corpses are found. The number of people missing is still not known, but could be in the thousands, while those who have lost everything – homes, businesses, livelihood – are also estimated to number in the tens of thousands.

In towns like Paiporta, Torrent, Picaña, La Torre and Alfafar, emergency crews continue to sift through the debris left by the floodwaters, aided by neighbours and other communities in their search for the missing.

🎥Video de treballs del Consorci d'esta vesprada, amb trasllat d'un ancià des de Catarroja a hospital de campanya, i imatges del LLoc de Comandament en Paiporta amb el camió PMA de @BombersValencia allí instalat pic.twitter.com/iKwlCQZnEv
— Bombers Consorci VLC (@BombersValencia) October 31, 2024

@BombersValencia anit, actuant a l'incendi d'una nau en Alfafar. De camí a l'emergència, este era l'escenari que es trobaven en punts com Massanassa i Alfafar, dos de les localitats on la #DANA ha tingut majors efectes. pic.twitter.com/iOFHCNkOB9
— Bombers Consorci VLC (@BombersValencia) October 31, 2024

The flood left devastation in its wake: families lost to flash floods, submerged towns and thousands of lives uprooted, as rescuers work tirelessly. Stories of bravery abound, as both trained responders and ordinary people saved family members, strangers and animals.

Thousands of volunteers have turned up to the affected areas to lend a hand, giving out supplies, helping to clean up and shift debris, but the authorities are worried that if there is not a coordinated effort then these good Samaritans could end up getting in the way of official search, rescue and relief operations, so they are considering taking measures to stop people from going.

Heartbreakingly, many tales of loss have emerged as well, and incredibly no fewer than 50 people have been arrested for looting, taking advantage of the chaos and other people’s loss to fill their own pockets.

In Málaga, a 71-year-old British man died from hypothermia and cardiac arrest after being rescued from his flooded home in Alhaurín de la Torre. This tragedy coincided with a powerful electrical storm that disrupted flights at Málaga Airport when lightning struck, disabling the control tower. With over 26,000 lightning strikes recorded across the area, flights were delayed, causing widespread travel disruptions.

The storm continued to spread across Catalonia, Aragón, Navarra and parts of Castilla y León, with Aemet issuing alerts across numerous regions, from Barcelona’s coast to the Ebro River basin and down into Andalucía.

While Murcia avoided the worst, northern areas like Moratalla and Caravaca de la Cruz experienced substantial rainfall, leading to road closures, school suspensions, and emergency evacuations. Communities came together, and while the La Risca reservoir threatened to overflow, water levels ultimately stabilised. Yet, the runoff into the Mar Menor raised environmental concerns again, prompting calls for better flood defences. Local authorities are urging excess water be redirected for agricultural purposes to reduce the burden on the Mar Menor.

Meanwhile, Murcia’s communities have rallied to help their Valencian neighbours, sending helicopters to assist in the response as floods cut off entire towns.

Transport shutdowns

The storm’s impact on transport has been staggering. Valencia Airport was shut down on Tuesday as floodwaters transformed its runway into what some have described as a ‘pool,’ affecting flight schedules nationwide. Train lines and highways were cut off, leaving vehicles stranded, and rail stations in Madrid, Valencia and Cuenca opened overnight to shelter travellers.

Adif, Spain’s national rail operator, suspended all medium- and long-distance trains between Valencia, Alicante and Murcia. The high-speed route linking Valencia with Madrid remains closed, with no clear timeline for reopening.

Major highways across Valencia and Castellón are still blocked, with heavy vehicles restricted, and the public is being advised to avoid driving in affected areas due to risks of road damage, landslides and flash floods.

There are also currently many road closures in Castilla-La Mancha, Tarragona, across much of western Andalucía and in Aragón.

DRIVING TIP: Where to get real-time traffic updates on travel and roads when driving in Spain

Three days of mourning

In response to the calamity, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez offered condolences to the affected regions, pledging government aid and cooperation with the EU to support those in need. Sánchez advised caution, especially near rivers and gorges, and praised the thousands of firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers risking their lives in the relief operations.

He announced 250 million euros in aid for the DANA victims, focusing on both immediate relief and long-term rebuilding, and declared three days of national mourning, coinciding with the Halloween and All Saints’ Day long weekend, prompting the cancellation of many events.

What made this DANA so devastating?

Meteorologists have traced the storm’s ferocity to an interplay of climatic and atmospheric conditions. A DANA event happens when a polar jet stream shifts southward, bringing cold air into warmer, moisture-laden Mediterranean zones, which creates deep atmospheric instability and results in intense rainfall.

The Mediterranean, currently at an unusually high temperature of 21°C (1.5 degrees above normal), intensified the effects of this storm. This warmth enabled heavy rainfall, while Valencia’s mountainous geography amplified it further, funnelling moist air upward and unleashing extreme rainfall on coastal and inland areas alike.

NASA satellite image showing the before and after in Valencia

A missed opportunity for prevention?

But it wasn’t just the weather. The authorities’ delayed alert system, which only warned people to stay indoors once rivers were already overflowing, has drawn serious criticism. Could an earlier warning have saved lives? Some believe so, though anyone looking out the window that day would have seen the danger. In any case, timely alerts and personal caution – staying away from risky areas and indoors during storms – remain vital.

Practical advice includes seeking higher ground, avoiding metal objects and trees during lightning storms, staying inside with doors and windows secured, unplugging electrical devices and staying updated on official alerts.

Extreme weather events are getting worse

This torrential rain has, ironically, arrived in a week when Valencia, Murcia and Andalucía sought EU funds to repair damage caused by prolonged drought and deforestation. Over recent months, 3–6.5% of tree cover in these regions has been lost to drought, which also affects crop yields. Rainwater has provided some relief to reservoirs but cannot reverse the long-term damage.

From scorching summers to extreme flooding, it’s clear that extreme weather is growing more intense and frequent. More investment in flood prevention and climate resilience is urgently needed. Local and regional governments must prioritise infrastructure improvements, from maintaining and clearing watercourses to enhancing drainage in urban areas. Ignoring this urgent need will only increase the destruction seen in future storms.

In mourning this tragedy, it’s clear Spain must rethink its approach to climate resilience. Recovery will be challenging, but long-term strategies to protect communities from an unpredictable climate are essential. This storm should be the catalyst for change, not a forgotten disaster.

How you can help

To support those affected, Age Concern Costa Cálida is collecting blankets and bedding for flood victims in Valencia. These donations can be dropped off at their social centre at 2B Avenida de Los Covachos, Camposol C Sector.

For monetary donations, you can visit the Cruz Roja’s website or Cáritas Valencia’s website, or see these other donation points and bank accounts.

Every contribution helps those who have lost so much during this tragic storm.

Images 1, 2 & 3: Bombers VLC

Image 4: Mitma

Image 5: NASA

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