Munich, 11/10/18 -- At least 12 people have died after severe rains devasted Sant Llorenc and other small towns on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Wednesday 10 October 2018.
European Space Imaging captured a series of satellite images of the site on Thursday 11 October at 40 cm resolution with GeoEye-1 in which the extent of the damage is clearly visible. Roads appear muddy with stranded cars and there has been considerable soil loss. Soil loss decreases soil fertility which poses a potential threat to food security on the island.
Satellite image at 40 cm resolution showing affected flooded areas in Mallorca, Spain. Soil patterns, debris and damaged vegetation is clearly visible, by GeoEye-1 © European Space Imaging
Meteorologists said that over 230 millimeters of rain fell in the area in just two hours, and described the likelihood of such an event as “once in a thousand years.”
The heavy rainfall flooded the Ses Planes brook, which is typically dry, sending water gushing through the historical center, dragging cars, flooding houses and leaving hundreds of residents trapped in their homes. Hundreds of emergency workers with the help of helicopters and detection dogs are searching for any remaining victims.
An image of Mallorca captured before the flash flooding at 40 cm further highlights the subsequent damage incurred., by WorldView-2 © European Space Imaging
"Being able to assess the scale of flood damage using satellite data is very useful for emergency services and local authorities," says Adrian Zevenbergen, Managing Director at European Space Imaging. "It can help them accurately assess the most severely affected areas, allowing them to make decisions about where best to direct their resources."
Evidence of flooded roads and soil loss., by GeoEye-1 © European Space Imaging
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