Torrential rain in parts of the country has led to cancelled flights and holiday park evacuations
The coast between Valencia and Alicante has been hit with torrential rain(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Holidaymakers heading to Spain in the coming days have been urged to take care as stormy conditions continue to cause disruption. Named Storm Alice by the Spanish weather agency AEMET, the severe weather is expected to bring 250-300mm of rain to some parts over the next few days.
On Friday, several regions of the country were hit with torrential rain as red weather warnings were issued, sparking flight cancellations and evacuations. The south-east coast between Valencia and Alicante has been worst affected so far, with alerts also remaining in place across the Balearic Islands.
On the islands of Majora, Ibiza and Formentera, authorities have advised against unnecessary travel and outdoor activities on Saturday, October 11 as Storm Alice advances. The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that an orange warning is in place for Majora between 10am and 8pm as the island’s emergency services call for “maximum caution”.
The Spanish publication also reported that flights continue to be disrupted, with a flight due to arrive in Ibiza and a flight scheduled to depart for Palma in Majorca on Saturday morning both cancelled due to the weather. A flight from Valencia to Ibiza was also forced to divert to Palma because it was unable to land.
In Murcia, a region in south-eastern Spain, around 70 residents had to be rescued by emergency services on Friday night following torrential rainfall. The Olive Press shared footage of residential streets turned into “fast-flowing rivers”, while a report of a tornado in Cartagena, Murcia led to mass evacuations including local caravan parks where holidaymakers were staying.
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AEMET said in an alert on Friday afternoon: “The worst days of the storm are expected today and tomorrow, with stormy showers that could be locally torrential in parts of Alicante and the coast of Murcia, with accumulated rainfall exceeding 140-180 mm in just a few hours.
“Very heavy showers are also expected around Cape La Nao, with accumulated rainfall exceeding 250-300 mm in some areas between today and tomorrow.”
The warning continued: “Heavy and persistent rainfall is likely to spread tomorrow to the north of the Valencian Community, southern Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands. Thus, locally heavy to very heavy thunderstorms are expected in the north of Alicante, Valencia, Castellón, Tarragona, and the Balearic Islands, which could accumulate significant amounts of precipitation in short periods.
“On Sunday the 12th, with greater uncertainty, locally heavy to very heavy showers are likely to continue during the first half of the month in the same areas, tending to weaken throughout the afternoon except around the mouth of the Ebro, where they could be more persistent.
“Unstable conditions are likely to continue throughout the first few days of next week in the Mediterranean region, with thundery showers that could be locally strong and persistent around Cape La Nao, the coasts and pre-coasts of Catalonia, and parts of the Balearic Islands. In general, they are expected to be more scattered and less intense than in previous days.”
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