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1983 Spanish floods

Date	26-27 August 1983
Location	northern Spain
Deaths	34 deaths, 5 disappeared
Property damage	150 billion pesetas

The 1983 Spanish floods was a natural disaster that occurred on 26-27 October 1983 in northern Spain, particularly in the Biscay region of Spain, where the Bilbao city festival had been taking place. The flood resulted in significant damage to property and caused the deaths of 34 people, with another 5 unaccounted for. The flood led to preventive measures being put in place and the redevelopment of Bilbao's riverside.

Background

Prior to the 1983 flood, the Biscay region had experienced at least 42 floods since 1403, though none of the recent ones had resulted in fatalities

Flooding

Abnormally heavy rainfall in the Gipuzkoa region on 25 August caused the Deba, Oria and Urola rivers to burst their banks, causing flooding in the neighbouring towns. Further heavy rainfall early on the 26th at the confluence of the Nervión and Ibaizabal rivers led to extreme flooding in the city of Bilbao. Heavy rain continued until 9am on the 27th. This caused significant destruction to Bilbao's Casco Viejo district, seriously damaging some historic buildings, with water 3 metres deep in some places. Over 5,000 residents had to be evacuated.

Response

Following the tragedy, the Basque regional government devised a flood prevention plan, and spent the 2024 equivalent of hundreds of millions on measures to prevent and mitigate the risks. These measures included early warning alerts and drainage systems.