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Spain Devastated by Floods After Heatwave: Cars Float, Homes Submerged, 102-Year-Old Dies.
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News18•03-10-2026, 17:13
Spain Devastated by Floods After Heatwave: Cars Float, Homes Submerged, 102-Year-Old Dies.
- •After a scorching heatwave, Spain is now grappling with devastating floods, with cars floating in streets and homes submerged.
- •The city of Madrigueras is underwater, and a 102-year-old woman died after her home was inundated; over 90 people were evacuated.
- •Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET, faces criticism for issuing only yellow/orange alerts despite severe threats, hindering timely evacuations.
- •Environmental experts suggest dry land after intense heat doesn't absorb water quickly, increasing flash flood risk during heavy rainfall.
- •Floods also impact Spain's eastern coast and Catalonia; schools are closed in Valencia, and railway services are disrupted.
Key Questions Answered
AEMET faced widespread criticism because it only issued low-level yellow and orange alerts instead of severe warnings despite heavy downpours, preventing residents from moving to safe places in time.
Experts explain that after intense heatwaves, dry land cannot absorb water quickly. When heavy rain falls suddenly, water flows rapidly over the surface instead of seeping into the ground, drastically increasing flash flood risks.
Castilla-La Mancha declared a Level 1 emergency, authorities in Tarragona and Murcia sent mobile alerts, thousands of homes lost power, and schools in Valencia were closed, keeping nearly four hundred thousand children home.
