2023-09-03 22:17:00
MADRID.- Torrential rains affected a large part of Spanish territory this weekend, including the Balearic Islands, causing street closures, floods and calls to stay at home.
The shocking images of the downpours showed flooded highways, strong gusts of wind and vehicles covered by water from torrential rains. Rescue services in several cities in the country, such as Castellón and Cataluña, had to help numerous people who were affected while circulating in the middle of the storm.
The abundant rains are due to the “Dana” (acronym for Isolated Depression at High Levels), a phenomenon that causes “persistent and widespread precipitation, locally strong or very strong and accompanied by storms, in practically the entire territory with the exception of the Canary Islands,” said the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet).
The Ministry of the Interior, which issued an alert in a large part of the territory, warned that there might be intense rainfall of more than 120 liters in 24 hours and, locally, in 12 hours.
Aemet expects the heavy rains to continue until Monday.
A person runs through a pedestrian zone during heavy rain in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, September 2, 2023.Alvaro Barrientos – AP
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) requested extreme precautions in the streets and highways and asked to stay at home. Renfe, the country’s main rail transport company, indicated that the rainfall caused the cancellation of some train routes.
In Madrid, a loud beep sounded for the first time on citizens’ cell phones, an alert with a message that urged the inhabitants not to use their vehicle and to stay at home. Other cities in the country issued similar recommendations.
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, asked the population to avoid going out into the streets so that emergency crews can move more quickly during what, he said, is expected to become “an exceptional and anomalous situation from the point of view of rainfall”.
“Given the red alert from the AEMET, we ask the people of Madrid to exercise extreme caution and limit displacement as much as possible due to the storms expected today”, wrote the mayor on his social networks.
Almeida affirmed that the rainfall record in Madrid of 1972, with 87 liters per square meter, will probably be exceeded.
Spanish soccer league postponed Atlético Madrid’s home match once morest Sevilla following considering the warnings of the meteorological service and the recommendation of the municipal government of Madrid.
In Alcanar, between Barcelona and Valencia (east), the population was confined due to the intense rainfall and the rescue services advised “to the inhabitants go up to the upper floors”.
The authorities have announced exceptional rains for the next few days throughout the countryAlvaro Barrientos – AP
In Toledo, Mayor Carlos Velázquez warned that The situation in the city is “complicated” and he asked the residents for “maximum caution”.
The forecast of torrential rains comes following Spain registered an intense heat wave and persistent high temperatures in August.
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