South-Eastern European Nations Face Elevated Flooding Risk Due to Rainy Weather
As cyclones and hurricanes have raged in the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific, Europe has encountered extreme conditions of its own. An atmospheric depression that emerged over the Mediterranean Sea midweek drifted towards the northeast into southeastern Europe on Thursday afternoon, bringing widespread downpours, electrical storms and extended rains.
Ongoing Precipitation and Serious Warnings
The low-pressure area is predicted to remain into the end of the week, with forecasting tools suggesting 48-hour amounts of 80-130mm of rainfall across much of the Balkan states. Highest-level advisories were declared for Serbia, south-west Romania, Greece's northeast, and the Aegean island groups, underscoring the danger of floods and risk to human safety. High winds also forced the closure of educational institutions on Zakynthos in the Ionian sea islands.
Cold Air Adds Severity
Cold air drawn in from Eastern European regions increased the severity, producing heavy snowfall across the Dinaric Alps, with some models predicting depths of nearly three feet by the weekend's end.
Earlier Floods in Spain
Previously, eastern Spain and the Balearic archipelago experienced severe inundation as the remains of the former hurricane passed over the Iberian peninsula before coming to a halt over the Balearic waters. The city of Valencia and Ibiza were hardest hit; Gandia registered over 350 millimeters in 12 hours – more than 10 times its average for the month, while Ibiza had 254 millimeters in 24 hours, its wettest day since at least 1952.
Roads, train stations, public parks, and school buildings were forced to close, while a rain gauge near the area of Aldaia registered over two inches in just half an hour, resulting in the La Saleta ravine to burst its banks. The flooding come almost a year after devastating floods in the region in the previous year that caused the death of hundreds of residents.
Storm Bualoi Hits Vietnam
Tropical storm Bualoi arrived onshore across Vietnam's central region this week, delivering heavy rain, strong winds, and massive ocean waves. In excess of 12 inches of rainfall was measured within a 24-hour span on Monday, causing flash floods and mudslides that obstructed more than 3,000 roads and stranded local populations across the northern regions. Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed, and railway services between the capital Hanoi and the southern metropolis were halted.
Officials confirmed 36 fatalities and 147 injuries, with 21 individuals still unaccounted for. Hundreds of thousands of residences were damaged or flooded, with more than 51,000 hectares of agricultural produce ruined. National officials has estimated that the storm has caused more than $350m in economic losses this week.