Spain: The cold drop leaves six people dead and heavy agricultural damage
The worst storm in the last 140 years to hit the Eastern and Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula left six fatalities, destruction, evacuations, cuts in transport and important economic damages in agricultural areas of Alicante, Murcia and Almería.
The torrential downpours caused rivers to burst their banks, dragging cars and people away, flooding streets, forcing thousands from their homes, and destroying at least 300,000 hectares of prime agricultural land according to early estimates.
It has caused millionaire damages in the agricultural sector, which are starting to be quantified, with flooded farms, devastated greenhouses and irrigation infrastructures, destroyed machinery and loss of crops and animals.
To these loses, it must be added the damage caused to hydraulic systems, such as the Tagus-Segura transfer aqueduct, which suffered a break on its way through Molina de Segura (Murcia).
Main Spanish areas heavily affected by the cold drop
Alicante
The situation in the more than 150,000 ha of crop area ranging from Elche to Pilar de Horadada is “devastating” and, according to farmers’ organization Asaja, “this is an agricultural catastrophe”. At this moment, they estimate the loss of 100% of crops such as artichoke, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, celery. The situation of citrus fruits is also very worrying, although until now the intensity of the floods has made it impossible to access and asses the losses.
The physical damage to table grapes in Medio Vinalopó could be less than expected. In Campo de Elche they are waiting for the evolution of the pomegranate fields, which will begin to be pick up in about 15 days.
In Marina Alta, except regarding wine grape (it is estimated that there are about 2,000 ha of vineyard damaged), the rains are beneficial for crops such as cherry and olive groves. The almond tree has been affected to a lesser extent.
Murcia
Asaja points out “it is still too early to know the definitive losses, but it is clear that the excess water has been very damaging for crops such as vegetables, table grapes and citrus fruits”.
In addition, many export warehouses have been flooded and “there is also a significant damage to livestock farms”.
On the other hand, Minister Planas, during his visit to the region, has drawn attention to the fact that “what happened it should be envisaged from the perspective of fight against climate change”.
Almería
In Níjar, an eminently tomato-growing area, the cold drop has knocked down and flooded at least 1,000 ha of greenhouses, according the farmers’ organization Coag.
The effects of this cold drop have also been felt in other provinces such as Valencia, Málaga and Granada, and regions such as Castilla-La Mancha.
The slow-moving storm system, known officially as an upper-level isolated depression, but more popular as a “gota fría” or cold drop, began moving northwest last Sunday, after loosing a lot of its destructive power.
Several sources