🔗 Share this article Southeastern Europe Face Heightened Flooding Threat Due to Soggy Conditions Although tempests and tropical storms have churned in the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific, Europe has encountered extreme conditions of its own. A weather disturbance that formed over the Mediterranean Sea in the middle of the week moved northeast into the Balkan region on Thursday afternoon, producing extensive downpours, stormy weather and prolonged precipitation. Ongoing Rains and Severe Warnings The low-pressure area is forecast to continue into Friday, with forecasting tools indicating 48-hour period totals of 80-130mm of rainfall across much of the Balkan states. Red weather warnings were activated for the nation of Serbia, south-west Romania, Greece's northeast, and the Greek isles, underscoring the danger of flooding and risk to human safety. High winds also closed educational institutions on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian sea islands. Chilly Air Contributes Harshness Frigid temperatures pulled in from Eastern European regions worsened the severity, producing deep snow across the Alpine region, with some models forecasting snow levels of as much as 80 centimeters by the weekend's end. Earlier Inundation in Spanish Regions Previously, Spain's eastern coast and the Balearic archipelago suffered serious floods as the remains of Tropical Storm Gabrielle crossed the Iberian region before coming to a halt over the nearby sea. Valencia and the island of Ibiza were worst affected; Gandia measured 14 inches in 12 hours – significantly exceeding its typical September rainfall, while the island had 254mm in a full day, its rainiest day since at least 1952. Roads, railway stations, green spaces, and school buildings were obliged to cease operations, while one gauge near Aldaia recorded over two inches in just half an hour, leading to the La Saleta waterway to overflow. These inundations come just shy of a year after devastating inundations in the region in the previous year that claimed the lives of hundreds of residents. Storm Bualoi Impacts Vietnamese Regions Tropical storm Bualoi arrived onshore across Vietnam's central region this past week, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and large swells. More than 300mm of rain was recorded within a single day on Monday, causing rapid flooding and rock slides that blocked over 3,000 highways and isolated communities across the northern regions. Many airplane journeys were cancelled or delayed, and rail transport between the capital Hanoi and the southern metropolis were suspended. There have been 36 lives lost and 147 people injured, with 21 people still lost. Over 210,000 homes were damaged or flooded, with in excess of 126,000 acres of farmland destroyed. National officials has estimated that the typhoon has resulted in over $350 million in damage to property this past week.