Spain’s deadly floods and droughts are two faces of the climate crisis coin

Scientists say violent weather battering Mediterranean is a harbinger of what the rest of Europe can soon expect

Residents of Chiva, a small town on the outskirts of Valencia, can expect a grim future of worsening drought as the planet heats up and the country dries out. But on Tuesday, they also witnessed a year’s worth of rainfall in a matter of hours.

The torrential rains that flooded southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday night, ripping away bridges and tearing through towns, have killed 64 people and counting. Fossil fuel pollution plays a role in warping both extremes of the water cycle: heat evaporates water, leaving people and plants parched, but hot air can hold more moisture, increasing the potential for catastrophic downpours.

Topics

Climate change worsened deadly Nepal floods, scientists say
World - Yahoo News - October 16
Copa del Rey games and other sporting events postponed after deadly floods devastate southern Spain
Sports - ABC News - 2 hours ago
Watch: Drivers rescued after floodwaters cause chaos in Spain
Top stories - BBC News - 6 hours ago
Dozens killed as Spanish region hit by year's worth of rain in eight hours
Top stories - BBC News - 7 hours ago
Floods in Spain’s Valencia Region Kill Dozens
World - The New York Times - 8 hours ago
Flash floods kill at least 63 people in Spain
Top stories - NBC News - 7 hours ago
Flash flooding in Spain leaves dozens dead
Top stories - CBS News - 5 hours ago

Latest in World

Poland's commission looking into Russian influences finds ex-defense minister at fault
World - ABC News - 5 minutes ago
Middle East crisis live: airstrikes hit Lebanon’s Baalbek and Bekaa valley after Israel issues evacuation order
World - The Guardian - 10 minutes ago
Autumn budget live: Rachel Reeves raises taxes by £40bn and increases spending on NHS and schools
World - The Guardian - 12 minutes ago
US elections live: Harris rejects criticizing Americans based on who they vote for after Biden ‘garbage’ remarks
World - The Guardian - 12 minutes ago
Texas woman died after being denied miscarriage care due to abortion ban, report finds
World - The Guardian - 13 minutes ago

Spain’s deadly floods and droughts are two faces of the climate crisis coin

Topics

Related

Climate change worsened deadly Nepal floods, scientists say

Copa del Rey games and other sporting events postponed after deadly floods devastate southern Spain

Watch: Drivers rescued after floodwaters cause chaos in Spain

Dozens killed as Spanish region hit by year's worth of rain in eight hours

Floods in Spain’s Valencia Region Kill Dozens

Flash floods kill at least 63 people in Spain

Flash flooding in Spain leaves dozens dead

More from The Guardian

Spain floods latest: three days of mourning declared after dozens killed – as weather alert level raised

Autumn budget live: Rachel Reeves raises taxes by £40bn and increases spending on NHS and schools

Middle East crisis live: airstrikes hit Lebanon’s Baalbek and Bekaa valley after Israel issues evacuation order

US elections live: Harris rejects criticizing Americans based on who they vote for after Biden ‘garbage’ remarks

Russian police charge woman in Crimea over daughter’s pro-Ukraine video

Latest in World

Poland's commission looking into Russian influences finds ex-defense minister at fault

Middle East crisis live: airstrikes hit Lebanon’s Baalbek and Bekaa valley after Israel issues evacuation order

Autumn budget live: Rachel Reeves raises taxes by £40bn and increases spending on NHS and schools

US elections live: Harris rejects criticizing Americans based on who they vote for after Biden ‘garbage’ remarks

Texas woman died after being denied miscarriage care due to abortion ban, report finds