Madrid

Spain witnessed such severe rainfall earlier this week that a part of the country appeared like an inland sea from space. The rains and ensuing floods have so far killed at least 205 people, with the toll likely to increase as rescuers look for survivors in debris. Dozens of people are still missing as search and recovery efforts continue.

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The situation went out of control as Spain’s east-central region received a year’s worth of rain within a few hours on Tuesday (Oct 29), resulting in flooding of streets and overflowing of rivers.

Now, some scary images of the region have emerged from space, with the flood-hit region appearing like an extension of the Balearic Sea. A satellite image captured on Oct 30 shows Spain’s east-central region totally inundated, giving an impression it’s in fact an inland sea.

Watch: What Caused The Deadly Floods In Spain?

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An analysis of before-and-after images of the region showed floodwater, appearing blue from space, covering regions that appeared dry and brown earlier. What were otherwise coastal areas looked like small islands.

What led to the catastrophe in Spain?

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The destruction caused in Spain is being blamed on a usually rare weather system in which cold and warm air meet and produce powerful rain clouds. However, this phenomenon, known as DANA, is increasingly becoming common due to climate change.

According to meteorologists, a powerful storm gets generated after cold air blows over warm Mediterranean waters. It causes hotter air to rise and form dense clouds. This sometimes snowballs into heavy storms and tornadoes.

Also read: Spain's rare, deadly flood disaster leaves at least 158 dead as rescuers rush to find survivors

According to experts, regions in Eastern and Southern Spain are more vulnerable to DANA phenomenon as they are located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

"Forecasts were in line with what happened. But in an area between Utiel and Chiva, in the province of Valencia, rainfall exceeded 300 litres per square meter. In that area, storm systems formed and regenerated continuously," explained Ruben del Campo, spokesperson for the national weather agency Aemet.

 (With inputs from agencies)