Two weeks after the devastating floods in southeastern Spain, the National Meteorological Agency has placed the Valencia coastline on red alert until Thursday due to heavy rains. The alert, which is the highest possible level, was activated at 9:00 PM (8:00 PM GMT) on Wednesday and will remain in effect until 12:00 PM (11:00 AM GMT) Thursday.
The agency (Aemet) warned that up to 180 millimeters of rain could fall within just 12 hours along the Valencia coast, leading to river overflows and flooding. In response, authorities have imposed traffic restrictions and canceled classes in more than 100 municipalities, some of which were already affected by the October 29 floods that claimed at least 223 lives.
Only essential travel is allowed, with the regional president of Valencia, Carlos Mazn, explaining on social media that these “exceptional” measures are meant to ensure public safety. Due to the torrential rains, train services between Barcelona and Valencia have been suspended, and the resumption of trains on the Madrid-Valencia line, initially planned for Thursday morning, has been delayed.
The red alert corresponds to weather phenomena of “exceptional intensity” that present a “very high risk level for the population,” according to Aemet. The heavy rains are caused by a “cold drop,” a high-altitude depression typical in Spain’s Mediterranean coast during autumn. In addition to Valencia, the southern Andalusian province of Malaga has also been placed under red alert until Thursday at 8:00 AM (7:00 AM GMT).
Juan Manuel Moreno, president of Andalusia, stated that “Malaga is paralyzed” due to the floods, with several roads submerged, the metro shut down, and train services to Madrid suspended. More than 4,200 people were evacuated “preventively” in the region.
