The key facts
- More than 700 liters of rainfall per square meter in 24 hours; two women killed
- About 2,000 people evacuated from seven campsites in Oliva; six towns cut off
- Schools closed (more than 100,000 pupils), 24 roads and two commuter rail lines shut
Flooding on Spain's Mediterranean coast
On Monday, Spanish authorities ordered residents of the southern part of Valencia province and the northern part of Alicante to stay indoors after torrential rains caused widespread flooding. The cause was the weather phenomenon 'Adam' — a high-altitude atmospheric depression that brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to the country's Mediterranean coast.
Scale of rainfall and casualties
According to authorities, more than 700 liters of rain per square meter (about 27.8 inches) fell in a number of areas since Sunday. The municipality of Forcall reported 718 liters per square meter (28.3 inches) in just over 24 hours. Two women died: one overnight into Sunday after entering the sea on a beach in Sagunto (Valencia); the body of the second, swept away by a flooded stream in Cabrera de Mar on Saturday, was found on Sunday in the sea about 6 kilometers from where she disappeared, near Barcelona.
Rescue operations
In Oliva, rescuers used boats to evacuate people from flooded homes, while in northern Alicante helicopters lifted stranded people from rooftops and cars. According to local authorities, about 2,000 people were evacuated from seven campsites in Oliva. According to government delegate Pilar Bernabé, at least six towns on the coast between Gandia and Oliva were cut off by flooding. The mayor of Pego (Alicante), Enrique Moll, told Spanish public broadcaster RNE that residents were stuck on rooftops and that in areas with scattered buildings neither the Military Emergency Unit nor firefighters could reach people who were trapped: 'We are witnessing horrifying scenes.'
Aggravating factors and consequences
Valencia's emergency situations minister Juan Carlos Valderrama said a powerful coastal storm was worsening the flooding: waves up to 4 meters (13 feet) high were preventing the swollen rivers from flowing normally into the Mediterranean Sea. School closures affected more than 100,000 pupils — about 81,000 in Valencia province and 22,000 in Alicante. The Interior Ministry reported the closure of 24 roads in six provinces. Railway operator Renfe suspended two commuter lines in Valencia and offered passengers free ticket exchanges and refunds.
Authorities' response and alert status
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay on upper floors of buildings in affected areas. Spain's meteorological agency Aemet lifted the highest-level red warning for southern Valencia and northern Alicante at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) on Monday, but orange and yellow warnings remained in force across much of the Mediterranean coast. Authorities warned that the danger had not passed: swollen rivers and continuing rains create a risk of further flooding.
