Spain was devastated by catastrophic floods on October 29th, resulting in at least 229 tragic deaths and billions of euros in damages, predominantly affecting the wealthy, industrious Valencia region. At least 221 lives were lost in Valencia, many individuals succumbing to the raging waters while trapped in their vehicles or trapped in flooded underground garages.
Just days after this harrowing event, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, accompanied by Prime minister Pedro Sánchez and conservative regional president Carlos Mazón, visited the worst-hit areas of Valencia. Their visit was met with outrage and anger, with citizens pelting them with mudballs and hurling insults, expressing their profound frustration at what they perceived as governmental negligence both before, during, and after the disaster.
Sánchez subsequently deployed a meaningful contingent of 17,000 troops and police, along with pledging €16.6 billion (approximately $17.5 billion) in aid to Valencia. However, the initial cleanup efforts were largely spearheaded by thousands of volunteers, including members of fringe, far-right groups who opportunistically sought to capitalize on public anger toward the establishment.Their presence in the midst of the devastation and chaos in Valencia was undeniably opportunistic. In the European Union elections earlier this year, a new anti-establishment party, “Se Acabó La Fiesta” (The Party’s over), secured its first seats in Brussels. The party’s rise is fueled by popular anger towards a political class widely seen as irredeemably corrupt and self-serving – a sentiment not confined to those who support extremist groups.
Mazón and Sánchez have been speedy to point fingers at each other for the scale of the devastation. Mazón, a member of the center-right People’s Party, contends that the central government should have intervened more swiftly during the rescue operation. Sánchez, conversely, highlights the fact that in Spain, primary responsibility for emergency response rests with regional administrations.
To a degree, this is accurate. Although Valencia has experienced severe floods in the past, the unprecedented magnitude of the damage and loss of life on October 29th marked one of the country’s most devastating natural disasters. however, a recent precedent elsewhere in Europe, near-identical in almost every detail to the Spanish floods, offers a stark warning.
The similarities between what transpired – or failed to transpire – in central Europe during the summer of 2021 and the recent floods in Spain raise a disturbing question: Did Spanish national and regional leaders miss a critical possibility to learn from the lessons of other floods? In an attempt to mask their failures, they seem to have transformed the disaster into a political spectacle, with both sides emerging as losers in this blame game.
In July 2021, torrential rainfall unleashed severe flooding across central Europe, claiming the lives of 243 people. The worst-hit nations were Germany and belgium, where 196 and 43 fatalities were recorded, respectively.before critics could point fingers at insufficient preparedness,Belgian Interior minister Annelies Verlinden declared that there was “no script for a water bomb [like this]. … It is indeed an illusion to think that everything can be planned or prepared.”
this year’s catastrophic heat has led to an eruption of extreme whether events around the World. Higher temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, heightening the risk of both prolonged droughts and sudden, intense rainfall. According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group, the downpours in Valencia were 12% more intense and twice as likely to occur in the current climate compared to pre-industrial times when global temperatures were approximately 1.3 degrees Celsius lower. Back in 2021, WWA concluded that climate change had doubled the likelihood of the floods in Belgium and Germany.
Though, in both cases, politicians seemed more preoccupied with addressing climate change after the disaster struck, seemingly attempting to deflect or apportion blame. In the aftermath of the 2021 floods,Pierre Ozer,a prominent Belgian climatologist,revealed that he had been warning about the increasing likelihood of such extreme rainfall in the region for decades,yet no tangible measures had been taken by the government.His remarks highlight the peril that governments face when attributing extreme weather events to climate change: They open themselves up to criticism for failing to heed scientific warnings. But Ozer’s concern points to the imperative for improved communication between scientists and governments regarding the effects of climate change,the timescales involved,and the measures necessary to mitigate damage.
The failure to proactively learn from the 2021 floods is even more inexplicable given that spain had a ready-made resource at its disposal. Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) a highly trained and equipped force capable of rapid deployment, could have been on the frontline immediately after the October 29th floods.Teresa ribera, who held the position of Spain’s environment minister in October and has recently taken up the post of EU commissioner for energy and competition, has come under fire from the PP. A project to redirect the flow of Valencia’s Poyo ravine, which contributed significantly to some of the most severe flash flooding last month, was designed in 2006 and classified as a priority in 2009 by Spain’s Hydrographic Confederation. While successive Spanish administrations shelved the project – despite repeated warnings from hydrographic experts regarding its importance – Ribera ultimately canceled it in 2021, just two months after the floods in central Europe, citing its exorbitant cost and its disruptive impact on the local environment. Outraged by what they perceive as Ribera’s negligence, the PP voted against her appointment as EU commissioner.
Although this isolated act of defiance was insufficient to prevent Ribera from assuming the powerful EU post on December 1st, the new Commission received the least amount of support from the European Parliament of any commission in over three decades.
Spain, especially its regional governments, could have learned valuable lessons from how meteorological agencies responded to criticism leveled at their warning systems following the 2021 floods. The European Environment Agency persistent that the extent of damage in Germany and Belgium was largely attributable to ineffective centralized alert systems.
Though, Armin Schuster, then head of Germany’s Federal Office of Civil protection and Disaster Assistance, suggested the real problem wasn’t a lack of prior meteorological details but the responses of authorities and citizens.Mazón partially blames his delayed reaction on AEMET, Spain’s national weather agency, asserting that it failed to issue warnings sufficiently in advance.
Despite the criticism, data about impending deluges was available to politicians in Belgium, Germany, in 2021 and in Spain in 2024. Both the European Flood Awareness System and the German Weather Service issued warnings of heavy downpours several days before the European floods. in Spain, AEMET issued warnings of torrential rainfall in Valencia five days before the disaster, and on the morning of October 29th, it placed the entire region under red alert.
Yet, this information did not prompt regional governments to take preemptive action in any of the flooding scenarios. By the time the mayor of Liège – one of the worst-hit cities in Belgium – called for an evacuation, many of its streets were already inundated.
In Spain, Mazón gave a press conference at 1 p.m. on October 29th, declaring that the storm would subside in intensity by 6 p.m. He then reportedly went to lunch with a journalist for five hours. mazón has yet to clarify what forecast he was referencing in his proclamation. Citizens did not receive severe weather alerts on their phones until just after 8 p.m., by which time the floods were already wreaking havoc.
The 2021 flooding highlighted another critical issue: how to interpret weather warnings, even when they are received in a timely manner. According to a poll conducted in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, the worst-hit German states, 85% of people who received warnings said they did not anticipate severe flooding, and 46% admitted they didn’t know what protective measures to take.
The Spanish Civil Guard’s video on X, showing people how to escape from submerged vehicles and published on October 30th – a day too late – highlights this issue. Effective weather alerts should prevent people from finding themselves trapped in flooded cars in the first place.
The 2021 European floods sparked a debate about which state institutions bear primary responsibility for responding to natural disasters. Given that Germany is a highly decentralized country with emergency response managed by each of its 16 federal states, this was ultimately a lesson that Spain could have learned from.
Horst Seehofer, Germany’s interior minister at the time of the floods, insisted that emergency response decisions were the responsibility of local authorities because central management of natural disasters would be impractical. Sánchez claims that coordinating the flood response in Valencia from Madrid would have hampered efficiency. The Military Emergency Unit (UME), which has deployed over 2,000 troops to the hardest-hit regions, also defended its actions against accusations of a sluggish response.
The UME’s chief, Javier Marcos stated that he is prohibited from entering a disaster zone – legally – without authorization from the head of the emergency, in this case, Mazón.Mazón has been criticized for not immediately raising the regional alert level from two to three, which would have legally compelled the central government and the UME to intervene. Instead, he maintained it at level two, only informally requesting Sánchez’s support.
Despite the resources that have since been funneled into the region, Mazón’s government retains official control of the cleanup and recovery efforts.PP’s national leader,Alberto Núñez Feijóo,has stated that Sánchez didn’t need to wait for Valencia’s request for aid; Sánchez could have seized control by declaring a state of alarm,a mechanism he used to impose a lockdown in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,or a state of emergency.
The leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, claims Sánchez’s apparent reluctance to lead recovery efforts in Valencia demonstrates the “evil and incompetence” of the socialist-led Queer government. Though, he has remained silent on whether errors in judgment by Mazón have contributed to the disaster.
perhaps no one can ever be fully prepared for “water bombs” like those that fell on central Europe in 2021 and Valencia in 2024. but the fact that Spain is now having the same debate about institutional responsibilities as germany in 2021 suggests that the political fallout from the European floods didn’t lead to constructive institutional changes.
The blame game unfolding within the Spanish establishment will not save lives when the continent experiences its next deluge. The only effective response is to carefully analyze what happened - and failed to happen – to better prepare for the future. The lessons are clear: now is the time to learn from them.
How can public awareness and education about climate risks be enhanced to foster community resilience?
Interview Between Time.news Editor and Dr. Elena Rodriguez, climate Policy Expert
Editor: Welcome, Dr. Rodriguez. Thank you for joining us today. The catastrophic floods in Spain have raised numerous questions about government preparedness and climate change. As an expert in climate policy,what are your immediate thoughts on the events that unfolded on October 29th?
Dr. Rodriguez: Thank you for having me. The floods were indeed a tragedy,and the loss of 229 lives is heartbreaking.What we witnessed in Valencia was not merely a natural disaster but a failure of our systems to adapt to increasing climate risks. Bellweather events like this should serve as stark warnings for us to reassess and improve our disaster preparedness and response strategies.
Editor: Absolutely. The government’s response has been a focal point of discussion. King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez all faced criticism during their visit to the affected areas. Do you think their presence was helpful or more of a political performance at a time of crisis?
Dr. Rodriguez: Their visit was likely intended to show solidarity, but the negative reaction from citizens—pelting them with mudballs, for instance—indicates deep-seated frustrations. Many feel that the government’s shortcomings in preparedness and response to climate events contributed significantly to the scale of destruction. It’s a symptom of a larger issue where citizens feel their concerns are not being addressed, leading to anger at perceived political theater instead of meaningful action.
Editor: There are various accusations flying between regional and national governments regarding obligation. Prime Minister Sánchez emphasized that emergency response falls mainly to regional administrations. What critical lessons could Spain have learned from the floods that hit central Europe in 2021?
dr. Rodriguez: The floods in Germany and Belgium were a wake-up call for all of Europe. Spain had a front-row seat to observe the failures in disaster response and the importance of timely interaction between meteorological services and government officials. The fact that Spain’s AEMET issued warnings days in advance yet we saw no ample preemptive actions shows a disconnect that must be urgently addressed. There should be clear protocols on how to act when such warnings are issued.
Editor: Indeed. It seems that while the warnings were there, the responses were inadequate on multiple levels. Some critics argue climate change is a driving factor for these extreme weather events. What does research say regarding the increased frequency and intensity of such storms?
Dr. Rodriguez: Climate research overwhelmingly supports the notion that climate change significantly escalates the magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events. The World Weather Attribution report mentioned that the recent downpours in Valencia were 12% more intense and twice as likely to occur in today’s climate compared to pre-industrial times. This implies that while we can’t prevent natural disasters, proactive measures can be taken to mitigate their impact.
Editor: Given these realities, how do you assess the role of government in addressing climate change versus managing the aftermath of such disasters?
Dr. Rodriguez: Governments must prioritize mitigation and adaptation strategies proactively rather than reactive post-disaster responses. It’s crucial to invest in infrastructure improvements, enhance flood defenses, and develop comprehensive emergency response plans. We need better communication across all levels of government to ensure that when warnings are put forward, they are not only heard but acted upon.
Editor: You mentioned communication as a critical need. how can governments effectively improve their communication strategies about climate risks and disaster preparedness to the public?
Dr. Rodriguez: Openness is key. Governments need to collaborate with scientists and technologists to enhance public understanding of climate risks. educational campaigns can empower communities to be more resilient. Moreover, establishing channels for immediate, clear, and reliable communication before a disaster occurs can minimize fear and confusion when an event takes place.
Editor: As we reflect on this disaster and the political fallout,how do you see the future of Spain’s political landscape shifting in light of growing anti-establishment sentiments?
Dr. Rodriguez: The rise of parties like “Se Acabó La Fiesta” reflects a broader discontent with conventional political structures. Citizens increasingly feel that the political class has failed them. if current leaders do not address these challenges and establish accountability, we may see a shift towards more radical solutions as people look for alternatives that align with their frustrations and need for change in governance.
Editor: thank you, Dr. Rodriguez, for sharing your expertise and insights on such a critical issue. It’s clear that a multifaceted approach is necessary to prepare for future challenges presented by climate change.
Dr. Rodriguez: Thank you for having me. It’s essential that we continue this dialogue and push for actionable change to mitigate the risks of future disasters. The time for just talking about climate change is over; what we need now are effective, strategic actions.