SPAIN has 10,197 infrastructures that could be affected by severe floods with a recurrence period of 500 years.
That’s the conclusion of a report published on Monday by the Sustainability Observatory- nearly a year on after the catastrophic October 29 floods in Valencia.
The study details, quantifies and classifies facilities, services and buildings located in flood-prone areas of Spain based on official data.
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Infrastructures in the highest risk category include 420 nursing homes, 1,126 schools, 114 Policia Nacional stations, 116 Guardia Civil barracks, 112 hospitals, and 82 radioactive facilities.
Fernando Prieto, head of the Sustainability Observatory, said: “These floods with a recurrence of 500 years are the most serious expected, but as we saw in 2024 this can happen, as the flood sheet in the Valencia Dana occupied 16,000 hectares above the most pessimistic forecasts.”
The report estimates that 71% of infrastructures located inside floodable areas with a recurrence of 500 years are in a ‘very serious’ danger situation, 13% in a serious situation and 16% in a mild situation.
Based on Ministry for Ecological Transition figures, there area 7.223 ‘very serious’ flood threat infrastructures.
Split by region, 37% are in Catalunya followed by 16% in Galicia- the only two areas in double digit percentages.
They are followed by the Basque Country, 8%; Andalucia, 7%; Castilla y Leon, 6%; Murcia, 5%, with the Valencian Community and Aragon both on 4%.
Prieto commented: “Catalunya stands out because there is a denser urban fabric.”
The Sustainability Observatory says major floods cause significant loss of human, ecological and economic lives and this kind of extreme weather phenomenon together with the lack of planning has become the greatest risk associated with climate change in Spain.
It adds that ‘one of the first moves to adapt to climate change must be the protection of the most vulnerable populations and critical infrastructures’.
It also called for the setting up of early warning flood procedures with ‘clear and strict protocols’.
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