Spain’s state weather agency Aemet has issued several alerts warning of the “extraordinary danger” posed by heavy rains and flooding as Storm Alice sweeps across Valencia, Alicante, Murcia and the Balearics.
An orange weather alert is in place this Thursday October 9th in the coastal parts of the Valencia region as well as Ibiza and Formentera, while yellow warnings have been issued for eastern Catalonia, Murcia, central Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha.
Intense rains are expected to be accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.
READ ALSO: What do Spain’s orange and red weather alerts mean for the public?
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For Friday October 10th, red alerts have been put in place for Alicante, the Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón areas, where torrential rains of up to 180 litres per metre could fall in 12 hours.
The announcement comes just a week after Valencia and the Balearics suffered flooding caused by Storm Gabrielle.
IN PICS: Beaches shut on Spain’s Ibiza as downpours spark floods
The maximum alert level will remain in effect between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. while the surrounding regions will be orange, implying “significant risk”. This will be in place tomorrow for most of the rest of the Valencia region with heavy rains forecast.
“Extraordinary danger. Flooding and flash floods may occur. Follow the advice of civil protection,” the agency wrote on X.
Orange alerts will continue to be in place on Saturday October 11th along the coast of Valencia, Murcia and southern Catalonia.
Yellow alerts for rain are in effect in the southern inland and coastal areas of Castellón, inland areas of Valencia, and inland areas of Alicante.
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The Balearic Islands are also on alert for Storm Alice, primarily in Ibiza and Formentera, where up to 100 litres per square metre could accumulate. Classes have also been suspended throughout the day this Thursday.
Authorities there have recommended that people in those areas should avoid outdoor activities, as well as events or gatherings with large numbers of people.
Storm Alice already brought heavy rains to the Valencia early Thursday morning, with 44.8 litres of rain per square metre in L’Albufera de Valencia and 39.8 litres in Catarroja – one of the towns hardest hit by the devastating flood, which hit the area around a year ago.
Many areas in Valencia also suffered flooding just a few weeks ago at the end of September.
Storms and intense rains seem to be getting increasingly common in autumn in Spain, particularly on the eastern coast and the region of Valencia.
