NASA has published satellite images of Valencia taken before and after the devastating flood. It killed several hundred people.
In late October, powerful tidal rains hit southern and eastern Spain. Storms centered over the Magro, Turia and Poyo river basins, unleashing floods of muddy water that turned village streets into rivers, destroyed homes, demolished bridges and cars. More than 200 people died, thousands were displaced, and many are still missing.
The coastal region of Valencia was particularly hard hit. The annual precipitation rate fell there in just eight hours. The images, taken by NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite, clearly show the scale of the disaster affecting Spain. The first photo was taken on October 25, 2022. The second one was taken on October 30, 2024, the day after the disaster hit.
According to forecasters, the downpours were caused by a high-altitude, low-pressure system that became isolated from the jet stream. These storm formations occur where cold fronts collide with warm and moist air masses, such as over the Mediterranean Sea. Storms can remain relatively stationary before dissipating, which increases rainfall.
As of November 10, 219 people are listed as victims of the flooding. Another 93 have been officially reported missing. The full extent of the damage is unknown, but according to insurance companies, at least 3.5 billion euros will have to be spent on compensation. To cope with the consequences of the flooding, the Spanish government has approved an aid package worth 10.6 billion euros. This is almost one percent of the country’s GDP.
According to Earthobservatory
