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As storms and hurricanes have raged in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, Europe has faced extreme weather of its own. An atmospheric depression that developed over the Mediterranean in the middle of the week moved towards the northeast into south-eastern European countries on Thursday morning, producing broad downpours, stormy weather and extended precipitation.

Continuing Rains and Severe Alerts

The system is expected to remain into the end of the week, with weather models showing two-day accumulations of 80 to 130 millimeters of precipitation across the majority of the Balkan states. Highest-level advisories were issued for the nation of Serbia, south-west Romania, Greece's northeast, and the Aegean island groups, underscoring the threat of inundation and threat to life. Strong winds also closed classes on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Islands.

Chilly Air Contributes Severe Conditions

Frigid temperatures drawn in from Eastern European regions added to the severity, producing heavy snowfall across the Alpine region, with some models estimating snow levels of as much as 80 centimeters by the coming weekend.

Previous Floods in Spain

Previously, Spain's eastern coast and the Balearic archipelago experienced severe inundation as the remnants of the former hurricane passed over the Spanish peninsula before stalling over the nearby sea. The city of Valencia and the island of Ibiza were hardest hit; The town of Gandia recorded 356.8mm in half a day – over tenfold its September average, while Ibiza had 254mm in one day, its rainiest day since at least 1952.

Roads, train stations, public parks, and school buildings were forced to close, while a rain gauge near the area of Aldaia registered 57mm in just 35 minutes, causing the local ravine to flood. The floods come nearly one year after destructive flooding in Valencia in the previous year that caused the death of over 230 individuals.

Storm Bualoi Hits Vietnamese Regions

Tropical storm Bualoi struck the coast across central Vietnam this week, bringing intense rainfall, powerful gusts, and huge sea swells. More than 300mm of precipitation was recorded within a 24-hour period on the start of the week, leading to rapid flooding and landslides that obstructed over 3,000 highways and cut off villages across northern provinces. Numerous air travel routes were halted or rescheduled, and railway services between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were suspended.

There have been 36 fatalities and 147 casualties, with 21 individuals still lost. Over 210,000 homes were impacted or inundated, with over 51,000 hectares of rice and other crops destroyed. National officials has calculated that the typhoon has resulted in in excess of £260 million in damage to property this recent period.