The Algarve, a beloved tourist destination for many Britons, became the site of chaos as torrential flash floods swept through its streets.
Videos circulating on social media captured the terrifying scenes, showing water surging through the heart of Albufeira, submerging homes and businesses alike.
The heavy rainfall turned once peaceful streets into raging rivers, causing widespread devastation.
Devastation Across Moncarapacho and Albufeira
In Moncarapacho, another town hit by the storms, a car was seen being carried away by the strong current, further illustrating the severity of the weather.
Meanwhile, Albufeira’s streets were left littered with mud and debris after the flooding receded.
The entire region saw massive disruption due to the unexpected downpours, which reportedly lasted just five minutes but caused devastating damage.
The Cause Behind the Deluge
Local authorities stated that the flooding was triggered by only five minutes of intense rainfall on Thursday morning.
However, this brief period of bad weather was enough to cause chaos, prompting authorities to issue weather warnings for the Algarve and four other districts across Portugal.
As the region braces for more heavy rain, the storm’s impact on the area continues to unfold.
Spain’s Struggle with Flash Floods
Just weeks earlier, flash floods in Spain’s Valencia region claimed more than 220 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
The stormy weather has not relented, with many regions still on high alert.
In Malaga, for instance, large areas remain submerged, and the streets have turned into rivers, with abandoned buses and debris piling up.
Forecasters predict further heavy rain, with coastal areas bracing for up to 180 millimetres (7 inches) of rain in just five hours.
These ongoing floods have left large parts of Valencia covered in mud, complicating the recovery efforts, which continue to this day.
The Toll of Spain’s Weather Disaster
The deadly floods in Valencia, which have been dubbed Spain’s worst weather disaster in decades, have claimed 223 lives, with at least 31 people still missing.
Over 2,000 emergency personnel, along with 30,000 volunteers, have been deployed to aid in search-and-rescue operations and the ongoing cleanup.
Thousands of families have been displaced, and more than 155,000 homes have lost power. Rescue teams have also been distributing essentials to those affected by the disaster.
DANA: The Storm Behind the Havoc
The storms that have wreaked havoc across Spain and Portugal are attributed to a meteorological phenomenon known as DANA, or an isolated high-altitude depression.
This weather system, which can form independently of typical jet streams, is known for creating intense, prolonged downpours.
When cold air collides with warm Mediterranean waters, it causes rapid updrafts that produce dense clouds full of moisture.
These storms can persist for hours, increasing their destructive potential.
Spain’s position between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean makes it particularly susceptible to these kinds of storms.
In fact, this phenomenon, once called ‘gota fria’ (cold drop), has been part of the region’s climate for over a century.
The Link to Climate Change
While extreme weather events like these are not new to the Mediterranean region, recent events have shown an alarming increase in their intensity.
Experts suggest that the influence of climate change is playing a significant role.
As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall and stronger storms.
According to Dr. Friederike Otto from Imperial College London, the floods in Spain were intensified by climate change, and with further warming, the risks of such deadly events will only grow.
The UN has already warned that the world could be on track for up to 3.1°C of warming by the century’s end, which would lead to even more extreme weather events like the ones experienced in Spain and Portugal.
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