The episode of intense rains that affects the peninsula and the Balearic Islands due to DANA reaches its critical point this Tuesdaywith especially intense rainfall in the southeast of the peninsula.
It is expected that the greatest risk of storms and torrential rain is concentrated in the Strait area, eastern Andalusia, Murcia, eastern Castilla-La Mancha and the Valencian Community, where accumulated rainfall could exceed between 120 and 150 liters per square meter in less than 24 hoursgenerating possible overflowing of boulevards and ravines and causing flooding in low-lying areas.
“The situation is especially dangerous in these areas, so great caution is recommended”warned Rubén del Campo, spokesperson for the AEMET. Rain is also expected in the rest of the south, center and east of the peninsula, although less intense.
Red alert in Valencia
The southern coast of the province of Valencia remains on red level alert in the morning due to intense and widespread rainswhich during the early morning have been torrential and have left more than 150 liters per square meter in municipalities of the La Ribera region.
The rain storm has forced closing the port of Valencia, has cut off the A-7 at Montortal (Valencia) towards Alicante, has interrupted the circulation of metro line 1 between the Alginet and Castelló stations. Besides, classes have been suspended in municipalities such as Crevillent, Elda and Santa Pola, in the province of Alicante, and also in Enguera, Náquera, Alzira, Carcaixent, Utiel, Algemesí or L’Alcúdia, as well as on all the campuses of the University of Valencia.
In the municipality of Llombai (Valencia) a large waterspout has left a record of 200 liters per square meter in two hours and has caused several cars to be swept away by the current. In the city of Valencia, the closure of parks, gardens and cemeteries has been decreed; Alicante has also closed parks and the Santa Bárbara castle.
In the Murcia Regionemergency services have handled 112 calls related to the intense rains, including the rescue of a driver trapped in his vehicle in Molina de Segurawho was unharmed. In addition to traffic problems, obstacles have been reported on public roads and various incidents due to wind in coastal areas.
In the municipality of Murcia, several streets and boulevards were temporarily closed due to flooding, although traffic has already been restored. Falling branches and moving containers due to the wind have also been recorded, generating more setbacks in the area.
Hail the size of golf balls
In Andalusiathere have been more than 240 emergencies due to the storm, with incidents such as flooded basements, basements, garages and roads. A spectacular hailstorm in El Ejido It has caused significant damage and has damaged the greenhouses.
Testimonials on social networks speak of “ice balls” that fell like bullets for 20 minutes. According to farmers, the hail has caused extensive damage to greenhouses, which would have affected 11,300 hectares according to the Union of Small Farmers and Livestock (UPA).
The provinces of Granada and Malaga They have also been greatly affected by the rains; In the latter there have been electrical storms and social networks have echoed the situation with a multitude of videos where spectacular lightning and heavy downpours are seen.
In Castile-La Manchathe rains have generated several incidents. In Cenizate (Albacete), a vehicle was trapped in a pool of water that was blocking the road, although the driver emerged unharmed from the incident. In Toledo, the weather conditions also caused problems on the roads, including an accident on the Ronda del Valle, where a car collided with a slope due to the wet pavement.
Other areas on yellow alert for rain, storms, wind or rough seas include the provinces of Teruel (Aragón), Ávila, Segovia and Soria (Castilla y León), as well as the communities of Catalonia, Madrid and the Balearic Islands, with expected rainfall of between 15 and 20 liters per square meter in one hour.
As for temperatures, an increase is forecast in much of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands, except in the southwest of Andalusia, where they will drop. The maximum temperatures will be in Palma, with 26 degrees, and Alicante, with 25, while Albacete, Burgos and Soria will register the lowest, with 16 degrees.