The Generalitat Valenciana has issued an ES-Alert due to the risk of flooding throughout the province of Valencia, asking the population to avoid travel, stay away from riverbeds and ravines, and, “in case of rising water levels,” move to the “upper floors” of homes. The mass alert comes after the Emergency Coordination Center activated situation 1 of the Special Flood Plan in the Valencian Community, especially following the intense downpour since late afternoon over the city of Valencia and its metropolitan area.
According to the Generalitat, the decision was made after floods were recorded in several points of the province. In fact, the yellow pre-emergency level has also been activated due to hydrological alert in the area of the Poyo-Saleta ravines, which already overflowed during the tragic 2024 DANA event. The yellow hydrological pre-emergency has also been activated in the Carraixet-Calderona area. In the metropolitan area of Valencia, for example, up to 85 liters per square meter have fallen, while in L’Eliana, 70 in just half an hour.
The heavy rains, which had already forced the Valencia City Council to decree the closure of schools from 2 p.m. this Wednesday, have caused delays on the C2 line of the Cercanías core of Valencia, due to a lack of power on one of the tracks between Silla and Almussafes, according to Adif sources. Likewise, Valencia airport has had to divert flights to Alicante.
The Valencia Fire Consortium has mobilized a total of 25 services related to the rains. Among the reported incidents are fires caused by lightning and vehicles blocked on roads whose occupants had to be assisted.
The areas with the most incidents have been recorded in Camp de Túria and l’Horta Sud and Nord, although firefighters have mainly had to intervene in La Pobla de Vallbona, Torrent, l’Eliana, Paterna, San Antonio de Benagéber, Sagunto, and Tavernes Blanques.
Furthermore, the match between Levante UD and Athletic Club de Bilbao corresponding to matchday 6 of LaLiga EA Sports scheduled for this Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. at the Ciutat de València has been postponed for weather reasons, according to the Valencian club.
Meanwhile, the Generalitat’s Emergency Coordination Center sent a statement this afternoon to the municipalities downstream of the Valencian Buseo dam to inform that the body responsible for the reservoir will start, as a preventive measure, a water release process. Emergencies also asks the officials of these municipalities to intensify surveillance and monitoring in the area.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued an orange alert for precipitation with accumulations of 60 liters per square meter in one hour and 120 l/m2 in twelve hours – which may be higher in a two or three-hour band – on the Alicante coast and the southern coast of Valencia, between 3:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. this Thursday.
There is also an orange alert for accumulations of 40 liters per square meter in one hour in the south of the province of Castellón and the north and southern interior of Valencia, and for storms in the southern interior of Castellón and northern interior of Valencia, with possible large hail, until 11:59 p.m.
The metro suspends its service
Metrovalencia has suspended service on all metro lines due to the rains and will close stations, while the C3 line of Cercanías is not operating and there are incidents on the C1 and C2 lines.
As a result of the intense rains and storms that have fallen in Valencia and its metropolitan area since late afternoon, Metrovalencia has begun progressively moving trains and trams still in service to the workshops and will close stations.
The entity states that it hopes to be able to operate tomorrow on all metro and tram lines, depending on the evolution of the storm and the actions that need to be taken.
Closure of Valencia airport
The rains forced the closure of Valencia airport after 10 p.m. this Wednesday, according to Aena on its social media account X, after flooding in its facilities.
As a result of the airport closure, located in the town of Manises, there have been two flight diversions up to that time, according to the same information.
Elche and southern districts, no school activity
The Local Operational Coordination Center (Cecopal) of Valencia has agreed tonight to close the schools in the southern districts this Thursday due to the orange alerts for rain that remain active for the southern coast and being a bordering area, according to the City Council on its X account.
The mayor of Valencia, on the same social network, stated that after the Cecopal meeting, they have taken “the corresponding measures considering the alerts activated for tomorrow“.
The Alicante town of Elche has also agreed to suspend school activities and outdoor activities this Thursday due to the orange alert for rain and storms established by the Generalitat Valenciana.
Evacuations in Torrent
The torrential rains that fell this afternoon in the Valencian municipality of Torrent, where more than 95 l/m2 in less than an hour were recorded, have caused traffic jams, critical situations for drivers and pedestrians, flooding of some homes, and fifteen people had to be evacuated from a fast-food establishment.
According to Torrent’s mayor, Amparo Folgado, “the night has been very complicated in the city and throughout the l’Horta region”, where heavy rainfall has led vehicles and pedestrians to face “complicated” situations and some homes have suffered flooding due to water entering through drains and terraces.
Es-Alert in seven counties of Catalonia
Protecció Civil of the Generalitat sent around 11:10 p.m. an Es-Alert message to mobile phones in the counties of Baix Llobregat, Vallès Occidental, Garraf, Alt Penedès, along with those already sent in Barcelonès and Maresme (Barcelona), and Baix Penedès (Tarragona) for torrential rain until 1 a.m. Thursday.
The message warns of the risk of flash floods, asks to take extreme precautions when traveling, follow authorities’ instructions, and call 112 if at risk.
Around 9:30 p.m. this Wednesday, a similar message was sent to mobiles in the counties of Barcelonès and Maresme (Barcelona).
Road closures, flooded streets, and canceled flights in Barcelona
The heavy rains have caused flooding, road closures, and multiple incidents in transport in the Barcelona area in recent hours, where several flights have been canceled and there have been disruptions in the Rodalies service.
In the city of Barcelona, under a red alert for rain, one of the neighborhoods with the most incidents is Horta, where the downpour flooded some streets, making road traffic difficult.
The rains have also forced the closure of the Ronda de Dalt to traffic at exit 2 (Llobregat) and exit 3 (Besòs) due to water accumulation on the road, the Barcelona City Council reported.
The Barcelona Airport has also been affected by the storms, causing delays and forcing some flights to be canceled. “The very adverse weather in the area of the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is causing regulations for safety,” explained Enaire.
Maximum caution in Almería after mobile alert and class suspension
The Minister of Presidency, Health, and Emergencies of the Andalusian Government, Antonio Sanz, has called for maximum caution and responsibility in light of the orange alert for heavy rain and storms forecast for this Thursday in eastern Almería, which has led to the activation of the emergency phase of the Flood Plan (PERI), the sending of mobile alerts, and the suspension of classes in three municipalities.
In statements to Canal Sur sent to the media by the Andalusian Government, Sanz explained that the decision to suspend in-person educational activity in the entire municipalities of Pulpí, Huércal-Overa, and Cuevas del Almanzora was made “after analyzing the technical criteria and possible consequences.”
The minister warned of the “significant danger” posed by the combination of flood risk with thunderstorms, coinciding also with “the most intense hours from three in the morning” and during school hours. “Prevention never hurts, the worst is not taking measures, and in this case, I believe prudence and responsibility require taking this type of decision,” defended Sanz, expressing his hope that it will remain “just a preventive measure.”
Alerts for Thursday
Aemet has also reported that it has issued a yellow alert in northern Castellón for precipitation with accumulations of 20 l/m2 in one hour until 11:59 p.m.; 30 l/m2 on the southern coast of Valencia and Castellón until 3:00 a.m.
This Thursday there is a yellow alert for rain with accumulations of 30 l/m2 on the northern coast and southern interior of Valencia and in the interior of Alicante until 8:00 p.m.; on the Alicante coast and southern coast of Valencia between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
The alert is also yellow in the province of Valencia for accumulations of 80 l/m2 in twelve hours in the province of Valencia and 60 l/m2 in the southern interior of Castellón until midnight; and for storms that may be accompanied by hail up to two centimeters in Valencia, Castellón, and the southern interior of Alicante.