In late October, heavy rains caused a series of flash floods in southern and eastern Spain. Particularly hard-hit areas include the Costa del Sol, where the city of Malaga is located, and the city of Valencia in eastern Spain.
Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Margo, Turia, and Poyo river basins, destroying homes, roads, bridges, and vehicles. More than 200 people lost their lives, many remain missing, and thousands remain evacuated. Spain’s National Weather Service Aemmet said an astonishing year’s worth of rain fell on Valencia’s coast in just eight hours.
While emergency services continue to respond to the situation on the ground, satellite imagery, particularly from the US-Landsat-8 and Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, is helping authorities better understand the scale and extent of the damage. It’s helpful.
Earth observation systems will play an increasingly large role in the coordinated response to natural emergencies, with near real-time information able to inform first responders where to focus their efforts while also reducing damage. Post-mortem analysis can also be provided.
Related: Satellite monitors Spain’s devastating floods from space (Photos)
Ehmet said the severe storm was caused by an upper-level low-pressure weather system isolated from the jet stream, a band of strong winds that generally blow from west to east. These storm systems form when a cold front meets a warm, moist air mass floating over the Mediterranean Sea. The resulting storm can become immobile and release most of its moisture in one place, causing severe flooding.
On October 29, the General Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergencies activated the Copernicus Emergency Rapid Mapping Service (EMS) to map the severity of flooding in affected areas.
Spain’s Civil Protection Agency also activated the International Charter “Space and Catastrophes”, which draws on Earth observation technology from 17 space agencies around the world to provide further information on the extent of the damage.
“Space-based observations can play an invaluable role during natural disasters, such as the recent floods in Spain,” Simonetta Celli, ESA’s Earth Observation Program Director, said in a press release.
“Our mission is to work quickly with our partners through the International Charter and Copernicus Emergency Mapping Services to provide critical real-time Earth observation data to support emergency teams on the ground. “We are committed to supporting relief efforts and providing data to assess the damage and ensure timely response in affected communities,” the official added.
