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Thousands of people have been evacuated, classes and transport have been suspended, severe flooding and even a waterspout are some of the effects of the new storm that has kept the Spanish Mediterranean on high alert, 15 days after torrential rains that left more than 200 dead and which hit the tourist province of Malaga on Wednesday.
This is a meteorological phenomenon known in Spain as DANA, similar to the one that devastated the province of Valencia, in the east of the country, on October 29, which will be on red alert – extreme risk – from 8:00 p.m. in towns that have not yet managed to clean the mud from 15 days ago, unclog the sewers or find all those missing from then.
In the municipalities most affected by the previous storm, the tasks of clearing the mud have continued, although the search for missing persons at sea has been suspended (the last lifeless bodies found were two young children) and now there are fears that the situation will worsen with new downpours.
Along with Valencia, Tarragona, in the northeast, and Malaga, in the southeast, are on red alert. This province became ground zero for the storm on Wednesday, with torrential rain and hail.
This isolated depression at high levels (dana) has so far affected Malaga and has forced the evacuation of some 4,000 people from areas susceptible to flooding and has flooded the centre of the capital, practically turned into a pool, on a day in which the roads have been almost empty, parks, sports venues, museums have been closed and classes have been suspended from Infant to University.
By 5:00 p.m. Spanish time, 144.5 liters per square meter had been recorded in Santón Pitar, located in Los Montes de Málaga, and 140 liters in the capital.
Given this situation, train journeys have been cancelled and there have been incidents at Malaga airport and on several roads.
The situation is also critical in Tarragona, with kilometre-long queues on one of its main road networks, the AP-7, due to mobility restrictions, train delays and cancellations and the suspension of school classes in 439 centres, affecting 128,864 pupils.
The regional government of Catalonia has recommended teleworking and most businesses have not opened their doors, while the Department of Health has cancelled non-urgent scheduled activities planned for this Wednesday. EFE
