The Generalitat's Emergency Coordination Center has raised the Special Flood Plan (PEI) to situation 2 in the regions of La Marina Alta and La Safor, while activating situation 0 in la Vall d'Albaida, la Costera, Marina Baixa and El Comtat, due to the reactivation of persistent and intense rainfall and floods recorded from overflows and water accumulation.
In addition, the autonomous body has sent an ES-Alert message to the inhabitants of La Marina Ata and la Safor with urgent recommendations due to the reactivation of persistent and intense rainfall and floods caused by overflows and water accumulation. The text of the message is: “Avoid travel, do not cross flood-prone areas. Stay away from rivers, ravines, riverbeds, promenades and coastal areas. Seek high ground or go to upper floors, do not go down to basements or garages or use elevators. Pay special attention to vulnerable people. In case of emergency, call 112”.
Alert messages ask to go to upper floors and avoid basements
Later, around 08:00 hours, Emergencies sent another ES-Alert to the population of the southern coast of Valencia and the northern coast of Alicante due to persistent and intense rains and the risk of floods derived from overflows and water accumulations. In that second warning, the recommendation was direct: “Do not drive or travel. Stay at home and away from rivers, ravines and the coast. In case of emergency, call 112”.
The Cecopi meets and Valderrama asks to stay at home
The Integrated Operational Coordination Center (Cecopi) met again at 07:00 hours this Monday to evaluate the situation. At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Emergencies and Interior, Juan Carlos Valderrama, reported on the activation of situation 2 of the flood plan and the mobilization of the UME.
Valderrama insisted that citizens follow all the indications from Emergencies and the messages sent through ES-Alert, and stressed that “you cannot circulate, you must stay in your homes”. As he explained, “intense and continuous” rains are being recorded that are causing “significant” floods in municipalities such as Pego, Oliva, Piles or Miramar.
“Citizens must stay at home. And all those people who were thinking of traveling to this area, do not have to travel. They cannot cross the area of the southern coast of Valencia and the northern coast of Alicante. Please, follow the recommendations because we have many people who are trapped and trucks cannot reach those areas due to the amount of water”, the minister remarked.
More than 500 liters per square meter in some areas
The regional official again asked citizens to stay in their homes and, if necessary, go to the upper floors. “These tips are almost an obligation that citizens have to carry out with the current situation we have”, warned Valderrama, who detailed that, from last night until this Monday morning, “in some areas it has rained more than 500 liters per square meter”.
“Please, confinement, do not circulate on the roads and do not cross the southern coast of the province of Valencia and the northern coast of the province of Alicante”, the minister insisted.
709 incidents managed since Saturday
Emergencies has managed a total of 709 incidents from 13:57 hours on Saturday until 07:30 hours this Monday, of which 377 occurred in Alicante, 327 in Valencia and five in Castellón.
By municipalities, Oliva registers 172 incidents, Xàbia 113, Pego 58, Dénia 55, Alicante 46 and Gandia 37. The most common incidents have been water accumulations, rescues, blocked vehicles, material damage on public roads and incidents on the road network.