Is this a warning to us all? A year’s worth of rain fell in a matter of hours in eastern and southern Spain, causing some of the deadliest flooding in decades. Almost 160 people have been reported dead so far.
'End of the world' floods sweep Spain
Is this a warning to us all? A year's worth of rain fell in a matter of hours in eastern and southern Spain, causing some of the deadliest flooding in decades. Almost 160 people have been reported dead so far.
"I didn't want to die," said Valencia resident Juliano Sanchez simply. As a wall of water almost three metres high surged towards him, he did the only thing he could: cling to a palm tree to stop himself from being swept away. He held on for seven hours.
He was not the only one fighting for his life as flash flooding in Spain's southern and eastern regions led to apocalypticReferring to the end of the world, or the collapse of civilisation. scenes of chaos and destruction. Survivors clung to roofs, balconies and bridges after the region saw its heaviest rainfall in 28 years, causing rivers to burst their banks and flood entire towns and road networks.
With more than 150 people dead from the floods as we went to press, experts say that they expect the number of fatalities to rise as dozens remain missing.
These are Spain's worst floods in at least three decades. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has already announced three days of national mourning, telling victims "The whole of Spain weeps with you... we won't abandon you."
But authorities are also under scrutiny, as residents said that disaster relief officials were too slow to act on warnings of destructive weather, meaning that people were unable to take the necessary steps to protect themselves before disaster struck.
Some say it proves that we are underprepared for the devastation that the climate crisis is wreaking. Scientists warn that although climate change is not the only factor causing extreme weather events, it makes them more frequent and more intense.
Throughout history, floods have been a symbol of choice for the end of humanity as we know it.
In the Book of Genesis, God sees the depravityMoral corruption. and violence of the Earth and decides to destroy his creations with a great flood. In the Epic of Gilgamesh from ancient Mesopotamia, the gods become irateFeeling great anger. at all the noise humans create and decide to wipe them out in a flood. In Norse mythology, the Earth is flooded with blood from the giant Ymir after he is slainKilled in a violent way..
Is this a warning to us all?
Yes: Huge floods such as these are the environment's way of warning us that we are acting hubristicallyWith hubris, which is excessive pride. towards our planet, destroying it without a second thought for the impacts on climate victims like those in Spain.
No: This is a huge tragedy, but the reality is that extreme weather events will happen regardless of climate change. It is purely random and we should not interpret it through the lens of superstition or omens.
Or... It is certainly a warning, but more than a warning of climate change it is a warning of how underprepared we are for extreme weather events. Increasingly governments are refusing to build the infrastructure we so clearly need to safeguard people in our changing world.
Apocalyptic - Referring to the end of the world, or the collapse of civilisation.
Depravity - Moral corruption.
Irate - Feeling great anger.
Slain - Killed in a violent way.
Hubristically - With hubris, which is excessive pride.
‘End of the world’ floods sweep Spain

Glossary
Apocalyptic - Referring to the end of the world, or the collapse of civilisation.
Depravity - Moral corruption.
Irate - Feeling great anger.
Slain - Killed in a violent way.
Hubristically - With hubris, which is excessive pride.