International project compares Irish and Spanish flood concerns

They may be attending one of the most inland schools in the country, but the team of Arnau Montal, from Valencia in Spain, Ignacio Marchante Crusells from the Spanish city of Cordoba and Darragh Vickery from Mullingar, all students at Coláiste Mhuire in Mullingar, chose to focus on coastal erosion for their project Seas Apart, Tides Alike.

Under the supervision of teacher Eva Acton, the three carried out a comparative study of flood defences in Ireland and Spain in a bid to identify effective strategies and promote mutual learning to improve resilience against coastal erosion.

Darragh, explaining that the team chose to look at Spain as well as Ireland, as the trio have connections with that country, said the aim of the study was to focus on the causes, consequences and management strategies employed by each country to mitigate the risks of flooding.

Citing the recent floods in Valencia which claimed more than 200 lives, Ignacio also pointed out that the west coast in this country is heavily affected by Atlantic storms causing erosion, while Arnau said there wasn’t just one cause behind the problem, but that it was a combination of natural forces and human activity.

However, he continued, as sea levels rise, some areas are particularly vulnerable to the threat of erosion.

As part of their research, the team contacted first responders in Valencia to find out their experiences and views on the recent catastrophic floods that had beset that area of Spain.

Ignacio said their research has led them to conclude that Ireland has an effective warning system but that was less so the case in Spain, which could benefit from emulating Irish practices.

On the other hand, Arnau explained, Spain has developed more innovative, effective and environmentally-friendly solutions to the challenges it faces than this country has done.

“If we had the opportunity to further develop our project, we would focus on launching a campaign aimed at raising public awareness about the critical issues we address,” said Darragh, who also expressed a wish to continue improving a website the team has established.