Drought to deluge: Heavy rain causes flash flooding across southern Spain

Torrential rains have swept over the coastal southeast of Spain following a long drought, much faster than the cities could handle.

As the rains began on May 22, 2023, rivers broke their banks and roads were cut off. Water entered homes and seriously damaged crops while more than 40 municipalities in Alicante and Murcia canceled classes.

Aielo de Malferit municipality in Valencia province broke its single-day rainfall record on May 24, 2023. The municipality recorded 117.6 liters while the rains continued in the region.

Spain is one of several countries this year that was facing extreme dry conditions and suddenly faced flash floods after torrential rain. Through March this year, Somalia was one of the countries in the Horn of Africa that entered the sixth consecutive wet season with no rain.

However, around May 14, riverine floods in the country killed over 20 people. Heavy rains also wreaked havoc in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna following rains that began May 2, leading to deaths of at least 13 people and forcing the evacuation of thousands.

Through May 21, this spring had been Spain’s driest on record. April was also the driest and hottest since record-keeping began.

Spain’s Environment Ministry said reservoir levels had even decreased nationally in the last week to 47.7 per cent of capacity — 21 percentage points below the 10-year average for this time of year.

Nationwide precipitation between October 2022 and May 21 of this year was, Reuters reported. These rains could help mitigate the prolonged drought afflicting Spain.

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