The damage that is hitting the provinces of Valencia and Alicante has forced the Generalitat to send this Sunday a second ES-Alert to the southern coast of Valencia and the northern coast of Alicante, warning the population of "persistent rains" and the "risk of flooding." In addition, late in the afternoon, the Emergency Coordination Center sent a special warning regarding the risk of overflowing rivers and ravines, especially in the regions of La Safor and Marina Alta, while dozens of town councils have already decided to suspend classes for this Monday.
Civil Protection alerts ask citizens to avoid travel and not cross flood zones. The recommendation is also to stay away from rivers, ravines, channels, boardwalks and coastal areas. In the event of an increase in the water level, the population is asked to look for high places or go up to higher floors, but under no circumstances go down to basements or garages or use elevators.
The heavy rains recorded in the last 24 hours, in fact, have led dozens of city councils in the provinces of Valencia and Alicante to suspend classes scheduled for this Monday. In total, more than 87,000 students will begin the week without being able to go to school, according to sources from the Ministry of Education. In the case of the Valencian capital, classes are suspended in schools located in flood-prone areas, according to municipal sources.
The heavy rains that affect a good part of the Valencian Community are dumping with greater intensity in the south of the province of Valencia, especially in the La Safor region, where the accumulated level of 200 liters per square meter has already exceeded this Sunday.
The Avamet observatory in Real de Gandía already accumulates 226.8 liters, while the record in Rafelcofer is 230 and in Benirredrá, 208.8.
Other significant accumulations in the area, where many municipalities already exceed 100 l/m2, have been 204 l/m2 in Gandía, 180.2 l/m2 in Palma de Gandía, 180.6 l/m2 in Beniflà or 221.2 l/m2 in Barx.
This Sunday the red level alert has been activated due to a phenomenon observed in the La Safor area due to an accumulated precipitation of up to 90 l/m2 in one hour and the yellow level hydrological pre-emergency of the Special Flood Plan in the Vaca-Serpis-Safor hydrological zone. The Emergency Coordination Center has subsequently activated the yellow level hydrological pre-emergency in the Pego-Girona-Gorgos hydrological zone, in the province of Alicante. The town of Pego has, in fact, added 85 l/m2 of precipitation in just 45 minutes.
The Valencian Emergency Minister, Juan Carlos Valderrama, had already warned that the most adverse of the current episode of rain and storms was expected for Sunday afternoon, especially on the southern coast of Valencia and northern Alicante. The Emergency services of the Generalitat have attended to more than a hundred incidents related to falling debris or tree branches. Trapped drivers have also been treated, but there have been no injuries.
"Let's not get overconfident because the night has been calm. Fortunately, the most significant rainfall and storms have been at sea," explained Valderrama. "The risk still exists, citizens have to continue maintaining the conditions of self-protection and prevention," he added.
In addition to the red warning on the coast of Valencia and Alicante, there is an orange warning in practically the rest of the southern half of the Valencian Community, with possible rains of up to 150 liters in 12 hours.
