South-Eastern Europe Confront Heightened Flood Danger Owing to Soggy Weather
While tempests and typhoons have swirled in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific east, Europe has encountered extreme conditions of its own. An atmospheric depression that emerged over the Mediterranean midweek moved northeast into southeastern Europe on Thursday morning, causing extensive downpours, electrical storms and prolonged rains.
Continuing Rains and Critical Warnings
The system is forecast to continue into Friday and beyond, with models showing 48-hour period amounts of 80-130mm of rainfall across the majority of the Balkan states. Red weather warnings were declared for Serbia, south-west Romania, northeastern Greece, and the Aegean island groups, highlighting the risk of inundation and danger to residents. Strong winds also shut down educational institutions on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Islands.
Chilly Air Adds Severity
Cold air pulled in from Eastern European regions worsened the severity, generating heavy snowfall across the Alpine region, with some models estimating snow levels of up to 80cm by the weekend's end.
Recent Inundation in Spain
Just days before, Spain's eastern coast and the Balearics experienced serious inundation as the remnants of Tropical Storm Gabrielle passed over the Spanish peninsula before stalling over the Balearic waters. The city of Valencia and the island of Ibiza were worst affected; Gandia registered 14 inches in 12 hours – more than 10 times its typical September rainfall, while Ibiza had 254 millimeters in 24 hours, its rainiest day since at least 1952.
Streets, train stations, public parks, and educational facilities were obliged to cease operations, while one gauge near Aldaia recorded 57 millimeters in just half an hour, leading to the La Saleta ravine to burst its banks. The floods come just shy of a year after destructive floods in Valencia in 2024 that caused the death of hundreds of residents.
Typhoon Bualoi Impacts Vietnamese Regions
The powerful typhoon struck the coast across the central part of Vietnam this week, bringing intense rainfall, powerful gusts, and huge sea swells. Over 300 millimeters of rain was observed within a 24-hour period on Monday morning, triggering rapid flooding and rock slides that closed thousands of routes and stranded communities across the northern regions. Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed, and train operations between the capital Hanoi and the southern metropolis were halted.
There have been 36 lives lost and 147 injuries, with 21 people still unaccounted for. Over 210,000 homes were damaged or flooded, with over 51,000 hectares of agricultural produce wiped out. Vietnam’s government has calculated that the storm has resulted in over $350 million in damage to property this past week.
