Floods in Zaragoza

  • On July 6, a historic storm caused severe flooding in Zaragoza, surprising residents.
  • More than 50 liters of rain fell in less than an hour, causing extreme conditions.
  • Firefighters rescued several people trapped in their vehicles and trees.
  • The mayor estimated damages in the millions and activated emergency plans to assist the affected population.
Luis Martinez

Ebro river in Zaragoza

On July 6th, Zaragoza experienced floods unlike anything even the oldest residents could remember. All events planned in the Aragonese city had to be cancelled, and the damage was extensive.

But what's more, they happened so suddenly and quickly that several people were trapped in their vehicles and had to be rescued by firefighters. To help you understand what really happened and what caused it, we're going to explain everything you need to know about the floods in Zaragoza.

Why did the floods occur?

Meteorologists have described the torrential rains in Zaragoza as a historic storm . But, in technical terms, what the residents of the Aragonese town experienced was what is known as a severe supercell , a phenomenon as rare as it is capable of causing enormous downpours.

In other words, it is a highly organized storm that includes torrential rain or heavy hail, winds that can become hurricane-force, and even electrical activity. In addition, it usually lasts longer than traditional ones. But why is it formed?

It all begins when an updraft of air appears , which can be between two and ten kilometers across and rises continuously in a rotating motion. This is called a mesocyclone , and within it, water and hail converge and grow. Eventually, they become large enough to break free from the vortex and fall to the surface. To better understand these extreme weather events, it is advisable to learn more about how to react in the event of a severe downpour.

These supercells form under conditions of high instability and strong winds aloft . Furthermore, their internal circulation system is more organized, which is why they last longer than other types of storms. They are also more dangerous . This phenomenon is quite common in the Great Plains of the United States and in other areas such as the Argentine Pampas . However, they are not as frequent in Spain , although they do occur occasionally in Aragon during this time of year.

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How were the floods in Zaragoza?

As we mentioned, it all happened on the afternoon of July 6th. Shortly before 6:00 PM, it began to rain, unleashing a downpour unlike anything the residents of the Aragonese city had ever seen. In less than an hour, more than fifty liters per square meter fell, with peaks of up to twenty liters in just ten minutes . It was a torrential storm that swept across the province and was accompanied by winds of nearly one hundred kilometers per hour.

In fact, it also caused damage in other towns such as El Burgo de Ebro and Cuarte de Huerva , where ground-floor businesses were flooded and eight people had to be rescued from two homes. Even the town of Alcañiz , in the province of Teruel, suffered serious damage from the rains. But the truly impressive aspect of the storm occurred in the city of Zaragoza itself . There, firefighters and police had to work tirelessly to assist the population.

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The effects of flooding in Zaragoza

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The floods in Zaragoza have left us with an iconic image: a woman perched on the roof of her car, waiting to be rescued by emergency services. According to the newspaper El País , her name is María , and she is from Monreal del Campo, a town in Teruel, although she lives in Zaragoza. In the end, everything turned out alright, but the ordeal has understandably left her traumatized.

He wasn't the only person who had to be rescued by firefighters. Another video shows a young man perched in a tree, waiting for the floodwaters to recede from the streets. Others also had to be rescued from their vehicles. In fact, the most dramatic situations occurred on the Z-30 , the city's third ring road.

María was there with her car, as were other drivers like Luis Ramos . He was able to walk away from the area shortly before his car was swept away by the water. People also had to be rescued in the Enlaces area . In total, firefighters carried out more than seventy operations and, by around 8:00 p.m., had the situation more or less under control.

However, the problems also extended to other areas of the city. For example, on a stretch of Avenida de Navarra , the water current tossed cars around like toys. Other affected areas included Calle Galán Bergua in the Delicias district, the Paseo Renovales and Paseo Ruiseñores, and Avenida de Madrid . But, generally speaking, no neighborhood in Zaragoza escaped the damage.

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The situation after the storm: Damage

Given the way the situation was developing, shortly after the storm began, the Government of Aragon activated the Special Civil Protection Plan for Flood Risk ( PROCINAR ) at level one to organize assistance to the population. To this end, the Operational Coordination Center was also activated.

It soon became clear that the damage would be extensive. In the words of Natalia Chueca , the city's mayor, "it was an extraordinary, torrential, and completely unusual downpour" that caused damage "worth millions of euros." However, it will still be a few days before the full extent of the damage can be assessed. As an example, in the Parque Venecia neighborhood , more than four hundred residents were without electricity until Friday afternoon. The power company had to bring in a large generator to restore service. In addition, a team of two hundred people was working to remove mud from the streets and homes.

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The city's sewer system was also clogged with debris carried by the storm. Many streets in Zaragoza showed damage after the storm passed. The A23 motorway was even closed at kilometer 274, and trains on the Zaragoza-Barcelona line were halted.

In conclusion, the floods in Zaragoza have surprised even meteorologists , who did not expect such intensity. The only positive aspect is that there have been no fatalities. From here, we encourage the people of Zaragoza to rebuild their city.


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