Severe Flooding from DANA Alice Hits Southeast Spain, Prompting Emergency Measures
The DANA Alice storm has triggered major flooding in southeast Spain, especially Murcia and Alicante, causing damages, evacuations, and travel disruptions while emergency responses continue.
- • DANA Alice caused severe flooding in southeast Spain, especially San Javier and Los Alcázares.
- • Mayor of San Javier requests disaster zone declaration due to extensive damage.
- • Five major roads closed and airports in Palma and Ibiza face cancellations and delays.
- • No fatalities reported; emergency services conducted evacuations and damage control.
Key details
The DANA Alice storm has caused severe flooding and widespread disruptions across southeastern Spain, particularly impacting the regions of Murcia and Alicante. In San Javier alone, up to 180 liters of rain fell in just 12 hours, leading to significant damages though no fatalities have been reported so far.
José Miguel Luengo, the mayor of San Javier, has requested that the central government declare the municipality a disaster zone due to extensive flood damage. The hardest-hit areas include San Javier and Los Alcázares, with emergency responders actively managing flood incidents and evacuations. Carlos Mazón, president of the Generalitat Valenciana, visited Pilar de la Horadada and praised the emergency services, highlighting the evacuation of around 70 at-risk residents and stressing the need to maintain waterways to prevent future flooding.
Meanwhile, in Almassora, firefighters from the Provincial Consortium continue responding to heavy rain-induced floods. Several provinces including Alicante, Valencia, and Murcia have seen five major roads closed due to the storm's impact. The Balearic Islands have also suffered disruptions: a lightning strike in Formentera caused a power outage affecting over 800 residents, and Palma and Ibiza airports experienced travel chaos with 13 flight cancellations and various delays.
Fernando López Miras, president of the Region of Murcia, commended the efficiency of their emergency response, noting no fatalities have occurred despite the storm's severity. AEMET continues to issue strong rain warnings across Murcia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands as the situation gradually improves with some evacuees returning home.
The ongoing severe weather event underscores the vulnerability of southeastern Spain to intense flooding from storms like DANA Alice and highlights the crucial role of emergency preparedness and infrastructure maintenance.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.