Spain issues ‘extreme’ rain alert after 95 killed in Valencia floods

Spain’s weather agency has issued further alerts for rain - including a rare red warning - following the devastating floods in Valencia. An ‘extreme risk’ red warning is in place for the Castellon region, just north of Valencia, this morning until 2pm local time.

It warns of up to 180mm of rainfall in 12 hours. The risk is lowered to an amber level by the afternoon, but remains in place throughout the day. Valencia, which was hit by flash floods on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 95 people, is under a yellow warning for storms and rain, with 20mm expected to fall in one hour.

Amber warnings for rain are in force along the north east coast on Thursday, October 31. The southwest of the country is also being hit by wet and stormy weather conditions, with yellow warnings in force covering holiday hotspots such as Seville and Cadiz. The latter is under an amber warning for heavy rainfall this morning.

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The heavy rain and storms are due to a DANA, an area of high altitude isolated depression, which has been slowly moving across the country. Although the peak of the DANA hit Valencia earlier this week, Aemet has warned that the emergency situation is “not over yet” and the conditions will remain “throughout the week”.

The regions of Valencia and Castellon continue to be covered by yellow warnings for rain on Friday, but the weather front is set to move westwards towards the Balearic Islands. A yellow warning for rain and storms has been issued for Ibiza, while both Majorca and Menorca are covered by amber warnings for heavy rain and storms. Yellow warnings also remain for the south west of Spain.

Conditions are expected to improve by Saturday with no warnings currently in place, except an amber warning for rain and storms in Menorca. But some showers and storms are still likely on the east coast of Spain, the south west and the Balearics.

The flash floods which hit Valencia have been described as the worst “in a century”. Emergency services worked hard overnight on Tuesday and throughout Wednesday to rescue people from their homes and more than 1,000 soldiers were deployed.

The death toll currently stands at 95 but this could rise as search operations are underway. Aemet has warned that people need to remain cautious even in areas not hit by heavy rain as flooding can still occur.

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