Lorraine Williamson
Across Spain, the signs are impossible to ignore. Roads buckle, train lines grind to a halt, and hospitals temporarily close their doors as torrents of water sweep through once-stable regions. What were once considered rare natural events are now alarmingly routine. Climate change, scientists warn, is turning Spain’s geography against itself — and its infrastructure is dangerously exposed.
A new report from the Observatorio de Sostenibilidad, titled España bajo el agua (“Spain Under Water”), paints a stark picture. Drawing on data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the National Geographic Institute, researchers identified more than 14,000 essential installations — including hospitals, energy plants, and transport networks — scattered across the country. Disturbingly, over 70% of these are situated in flood-prone zones.
The report found that some 10,000 of these critical facilities are located in areas with a theoretical flood return rate of once every 500 years. Yet such events now occur far more frequently. In 2024 alone, the regions of Andalucia, Valencia, Murcia, and Catalonia endured several extreme weather episodes. Flash floods cut power, blocked roads, and damaged agricultural land.
When infrastructure fails
Spain’s most vulnerable infrastructure lies where land meets water — the deltas, river valleys, and coastal plains that have long supported dense populations. Power plants, water treatment centres, hospitals, railways, and motorways all sit within these low-lying zones. When these systems collapse, the impact cascades across public health, the economy, and national security.
Flooding in Murcia’s Segura basin, for example, has repeatedly overwhelmed local wastewater facilities. In Catalonia, heavy rain has forced temporary closures along major train lines. Meanwhile, in parts of Andalucia, deteriorating road networks hinder emergency access during storms — a dangerous pattern that experts fear will worsen as the climate crisis deepens.
Urbanisation meets climate pressure
The problem is not simply one of rain. Rapid urbanisation has hardened Spain’s surfaces — tarmac, tiles, and concrete replacing fields and forests that once absorbed rainfall. As a result, even short downpours can turn streets into rivers. Cities such as Valencia and Seville are particularly at risk, where impermeable ground and inadequate drainage collide with increasingly intense storms.
A call for smarter planning
The report urges the Spanish government to treat water resilience as a national priority. That means locating new infrastructure away from high-risk flood zones, and reinforcing or relocating existing facilities where necessary. Dikes, retention basins, and upgraded drainage systems must be part of future urban design.
Researchers also highlight the need for “smart water management” — using data and predictive modelling to anticipate and mitigate risk rather than reacting once damage is done. Spain’s flood prevention strategies, they warn, remain too fragmented across regional authorities to cope with the scale of the challenge.
Shared responsibility
Ultimately, protecting Spain’s infrastructure cannot fall solely on government shoulders. Businesses, municipalities, and citizens must all play a role in adapting to a wetter, more unpredictable climate. From flood insurance and emergency planning to sustainable land use and green infrastructure, resilience must become part of daily decision-making.
A future defined by water
The message from España bajo el agua is unequivocal: Spain must plan not just for occasional flooding, but for a permanently altered climate. As heatwaves, droughts, and torrential rain become cyclical features of Mediterranean life, the question is no longer whether water will test Spain’s systems — but how well those systems are prepared to survive it.
Source: Noticias Ambientales