Drivers rescued from floods
Downpours cause problems for emergency services in coastal areas
HEAVY rain on Sunday led to flooding in many areas of the Valencia region and Murcia.
State weather agency AEMET had issued a yellow alert for the whole of the southeast coast of Spain.
The downpours caused torrents of water to cascade along flood ravines in and around coastal towns – and in many areas the usual blackspots were inundated again. The most dramatic scenes were recorded in Águilas in Murcia where vehicles were swept out to sea. metre (l/m2) of rain fell in a very short time in the early hours of the morning causing flash flooding.
“Fortunately the rapid actions of the fire brigade allowed this person to be rescued unharmed,” he said.
Sr Consentino noted that storm drains were unable to cope with the amount of water which fell in a short period of time.
Fire fighters were also called in to help out in the south of Alicante province, where cloudbursts flooded
Several of the cars were streets. empty, but a driver was reported In Torrevieja drivers became to be trapped in one of trapped in their cars as the vehicles which flowed down streets filled with water. the Rambla de Matalentisco. The torrent which descended
According to the town hall, on Playa del Cura his floating vehicle become caused widespread flooding – stuck under a bridge and brave and streets were left underwater fire fighters climbed onto the in the urbanisations of roof secured by ropes. Torreta II and Doña Inés, as
They smashed their way well as other points along the into the car to pull out the seafront in the town centre. stricken man. MeteOrihuela reported that
Councillor for security in 63.4 l/m2 of rain fell in Torrevieja the town Tomás Consentino on Sunday, bringing an said 50 metres per square end to a sequence of more than
CostaNews-243,5x80-STPATRICKS.pdf 50 days without rain.
In other areas of the south of the province, San Miguel de Salinas recorded 60 l/m2, Pilar de la Horadada 51.3 l/m2, and Orihuela Costa (La Zenia) 33.3 l/m2.
Even though Orihuela Costa recorded about half the rainfall of Torrevieja and the local police did not report any problems, videos by residents showed that many roads were completely inundated.
Overflowing sewers displaced manhole covers, and several cars became trapped in deep water.
Local political party CLARO said the affected area included La Florida, the accesses to Playas de Orihuela school, the swimming pools in Calle Paraná, the bridges of the N-332 near the town hall building in Playa Flamenca, Avenida California, Las Piscinas, La Zenia, Las Filipinas, and the ravines down to many beaches.
They pointed out that although the council announced an €18 million anti-flooding infrastructure plan four years ago, only one action in La Zenia has been started.
Residents’ association AVOCA reported that the brand new wooden walkway across the end of the watercourse at La Glea beach in Campoamor was damaged by the rain, with residents commenting that it was an ‘accident waiting to happen’.
The walkway was put in place after the road along the beach was destroyed by the September 2019 floods and the government’s coast department refused permission to replace it.
The Camino de la Balsa between San Miguel de Salinas and Orihuela Costa was once again inundated with thick mud from the fields above it.
A tractor with an excavator was still clearing the debris on Monday morning in order to
make the perilously slippery surface safer for motorists.
Pilar de la Horadada local police reported that several roads were flooded, and asked people not to drive along Avenida de la Venta or surrounding streets around the south-eastern edge of the town centre.
In San Pedro del Pinatar,
the avenue to the port had to be closed near the entrance to the town at the Repsol petrol station, as did El Mojón road.
Pilar local police reported more incidents caused by the rain on Monday evening, including flooded garages, trapped vehicles and roads having to be closed.