The port city of Dénia in Alicante was battered by powerful winds, sand and sea water in January 2020, when Storm Gloria swept through the region. Homes and businesses were flooded and the storm left devastating damage in its wake. This is even though the City Council of Dénia built dams from Posidonia (a marine plant) and algae on different beaches in the municipality, in a bid to combat erosion and prevent storms from swallowing the sand.

Then, in November 2023, more than 3,000 people were evicted from their homes, as the Spanish government seized properties along the coast. It’s believed the land will be used as a buffer zone for the sea.

Arraijanal-San Julián in the Costa del Sol region of Spain is also suffering. Between 2016 and 2022, the coastline between Torremolinos and Málaga retreated by approximately 148 feet (45m), Euronews reported.

European towns being swallowed by the sea