South-Eastern European Nations Face Heightened Flood Threat Owing to Soggy Circumstances
As cyclones and typhoons have raged in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, Europe has experienced extreme conditions of its own. An atmospheric depression that emerged over the Mediterranean in the middle of the week moved towards the northeast into southeastern Europe on Thursday morning, bringing broad showers, stormy weather and prolonged precipitation.
Continuing Rains and Severe Warnings
The low-pressure area is predicted to continue into the end of the week, with models showing 48-hour amounts of 80-130mm of rain across much of the Balkan Peninsula. Highest-level advisories were declared for the nation of Serbia, south-west Romania, northeastern Greece, and the Aegean island groups, underscoring the danger of floods and threat to life. Powerful gusts also shut down educational institutions on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian archipelago.
Cold Air Contributes Severity
Frigid temperatures drawn in from Eastern European regions increased the severity, producing heavy snowfall across the Alpine region, with certain forecasts predicting snow levels of as much as 80 centimeters by the weekend's end.
Recent Inundation in Spain
Just days before, the eastern part of Spain and the Balearic archipelago endured serious flooding as the remnants of Hurricane Gabrielle moved across the Iberian peninsula before slowing over the nearby sea. The city of Valencia and Ibiza were hardest hit; Gandia recorded 356.8mm in half a day – significantly exceeding its average for the month, while Ibiza had 254mm in 24 hours, its most precipitation in a day since at least 1952.
Roads, transit hubs, green spaces, and educational facilities were forced to close, while one gauge near Aldaia registered 57 millimeters in just half an hour, leading to the La Saleta ravine to burst its banks. These inundations come nearly one year after destructive flooding in Valencia in the previous year that killed hundreds of residents.
Storm Bualoi Hits Vietnamese Regions
The powerful typhoon made landfall across Vietnam's central region this week, bringing intense rainfall, powerful gusts, and massive ocean waves. Over 300 millimeters of rain was observed within a 24-hour period on Monday, causing flash floods and rock slides that closed over 3,000 highways and isolated communities across northern provinces. Dozens of flights were disrupted or postponed, and rail transport between Hanoi and the southern metropolis were suspended.
There have been 36 deaths and 147 injuries, with 21 persons still missing. Over 210,000 homes were damaged or flooded, with in excess of 126,000 acres of farmland wiped out. The Vietnamese authorities has calculated that the typhoon has led to in excess of £260 million in economic losses this week.
