[et_pb_section admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” background_color=”#2ea3f2″ inner_shadow=”on” parallax=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header admin_label=”Fullwidth Header” title=”The rain in Spain” subhead=”Weekend deluge causes chaos on the Costa Blanca” background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″] [/et_pb_fullwidth_header][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
Torrential rain across the Spain has wreaked havoc and the Southern Costa Blanca has had more than its fair share. More than 15mm of rain fell in just one hour on Sunday which added to the heavy rain fall experienced on Saturday. The whole of the Coast was placed on Orange alert over the weekend, beginning on Friday evening, which was then extended into the early part of this week.
So far the deluge has officially claimed the life of one person in the province of Alicante – an elderly man who drowned in Finestrat – and has forced emergency services to work around the clock carrying out rescue operations.
The regions of Murcia and Valencia have been the hardest hit, with the regional government in the latter warning residents to avoid going out in their cars unless absolutely necessary.
All schools across the Municipalities of Orihuela, Torrevieja and more were closed on Monday after the emergency committees held an emergency meeting on Sunday. Several roads were closed by Policia Local including parts of the N340, the San Miguel to Algorfa road through Los Perez, access to Playa Flamenca beach near the Town Hall and several roads were flooded but just passable.
In Torrevieja, there were images on social media of heavy seas and waves spilling on to paseos and over walls. As usual, the roads in many parts of the town were flooded, not an unusual sight. However, the length of time during which rain continued to fall was out of the ordinary.
The rainfall brought with it difficulties to Torrevieja’s roads. Four people were slightly injured in a traffic accident involving two cars at the junction of la Avenida del Maestro Francisco Casanovas with Calle Almudena. Emergency services were called as passengers were believed to be trapped in one of the vehicles. Ambulances, a fire engine and police cars attended the scene. However, the injuries were less serious than expected.
The situation was particularly bad on roads such as the Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas where the water accumulates even when the rain is not torrential. Extra police were on duty around the town and ready to answer calls for help. Some other streets were blocked off including the zone around the ITV building near Torreta 2 and Avenida Delfina Viudes.
It was the combination of both the wind and rain that was responsible for perhaps one of the biggest collapses in Torrevieja, that of the Pergola in the main square of La Mata. The pergola, which provides shade during the summer on the Encarnación Puchol, was torn up by the wind and luckily there were no injuries.
Police ordered the removal of cars from the street leading to the paseo following its collapse. The area is now cordoned off until further notice preventing people from walking through and local businesses will not be able to open until the area is safe.
Locals were astonished on Sunday as the beach bar on La Zenia beach was in danger of being washed away and needed a team of municipal workers with diggers to try and save it.
Around three inches of rain (7.5 centimetres, or 75 litres per square metre) was registered in 12 hours in Valencia province, whilst winds of between 60 and 75 kilometres per hour (38-47mph) have been registered in Elche.
The alerts were still in place at the time of going to press, but it is understood the Met office will begin to fade them out from Monday evening (19th December). It is believed to be the worst weather for 30 years.
Mireille Toddington and Suzanne O’Connell
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