BARCELONA, Spain, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Global warming could increase the likelihood of "very intense and dangerous" storms similar to those that have recently wreaked havoc in eastern and southeastern Spain, a Spanish climate expert warned on Monday.
"This phenomenon has always existed, but with global warming, the higher amount of water vapor evaporating from the Mediterranean may lead to future events that are very intense and very dangerous," said Javier Martin-Vide, a climate specialist and professor of Physical Geography at Barcelona University.
The recent catastrophic flooding in the regions of Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Andalusia, triggered by a storm phenomenon known as Isolated Depression at High Levels (DANA), has already claimed the lives of more than 200 people, with hundreds still missing.
"DANA storms aren't like typhoons or hurricanes, which have predictable trajectories," Martin-Vide explained, noting that DANA storms carry a degree of uncertainty or randomness regarding where they may strike with maximum intensity.
These storms occur when cold air moves over warm Mediterranean waters, causing hotter air to rise rapidly and form dense, persistent clouds. The professor warned that global warming could intensify this process, "as if the climate system had more energy."
He added that it's essential to adapt to this new climatic reality, emphasizing the need to adjust to the higher frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events to safeguard lives.
Martin-Vide attributed the high death toll and widespread destruction in part to a lack of preparedness among local populations and authorities for managing extreme weather. "We need to reduce population vulnerability by educating people on how to respond to these phenomena, and we also need robust territorial planning, which is the most efficient and cost-effective way to reduce economic and human losses," he advised.
Above all, he stressed the importance of carefully considering local geography in planning human settlements and activities, ensuring compatibility "with atmospheric behavior or hydrological patterns in a given area."
