South-Eastern Europe Confront Elevated Flood Threat Because of Wet Weather
While cyclones and hurricanes have swirled in the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific, the continent has faced extreme weather of its own. An atmospheric depression that emerged over the Mediterranean Sea midweek drifted north-east into southeastern Europe on Thursday afternoon, bringing extensive showers, stormy weather and extended precipitation.
Continuing Precipitation and Critical Alerts
The system is forecast to persist into Friday and beyond, with models showing 48-hour period accumulations of three to five inches of rainfall across the majority of the Balkans. Red weather warnings were declared for Serbia, south-west Romania, northeastern Greece, and the Greek isles, emphasizing the risk of inundation and danger to residents. Powerful gusts also closed schools on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian sea islands.
Frigid Air Contributes Severity
Chilly air masses drawn in from eastern Europe added to the seriousness, producing deep snow across the Alpine region, with several predictions forecasting depths of as much as 80 centimeters by the weekend's end.
Previous Flooding in Spain
Previously, eastern Spain and the Balearics experienced devastating floods as the remnants of Tropical Storm Gabrielle crossed the Iberian peninsula before slowing over the Balearic Sea. The city of Valencia and Ibiza were worst affected; The town of Gandia recorded 14 inches in half a day – over tenfold its average for the month, while Ibiza had 254 millimeters in one day, its rainiest day since at least the mid-20th century.
Highways, railway stations, green spaces, and educational facilities were obliged to cease operations, while a rain gauge near the area of Aldaia measured 57mm in just half an hour, leading to the La Saleta waterway to burst its banks. The floods come almost a year after destructive floods in the region in 2024 that claimed the lives of more than 230 people.
Typhoon Bualoi Affects Vietnamese Regions
Tropical storm Bualoi made landfall across Vietnam's central region this recent days, causing intense rainfall, powerful gusts, and massive ocean waves. In excess of 12 inches of rainfall was recorded within a 24-hour span on Monday, causing sudden floods and landslides that blocked thousands of routes and cut off communities across the northern regions. Dozens of flights were halted or rescheduled, and train operations between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were stopped.
There have been 36 deaths and 147 casualties, with 21 individuals still unaccounted for. Hundreds of thousands of residences were impacted or inundated, with more than 51,000 hectares of farmland destroyed. The Vietnamese authorities has estimated that the typhoon has led to over $350 million in property damage this recent period.
