The Valencian Community is in a state of alert because of the DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels), which since Tuesday night has caused flooding, road closures and suspension of rail transport. The Generalitat has sent this Wednesday a mobile alert to citizens to avoid travel in the province of Valencia, warning about the danger of heavy rains. The president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, confirmed the location of lifeless bodies in the most affected areas, such as Utiel-Requena, la Ribera and l’Horta. The warning was issued through the Es-Alert system, which sends emergency messages to cell phones, asking the population to stay informed and follow the recommendations of civil protection. This system was activated early in the morning after a first warning issued the night before.
Intervention of the UME and Fire Brigade
The heavy rains have forced the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and the firefighters of the Diputación de Castellón to deploy troops for rescue and evacuation work in towns such as Requena, Utiel, Chirivella and Alacuás. According to the UME, several residents have been evacuated from flooded areas and operations continue to ensure their safety. For their part, Castellón firefighters have attended to multiple emergencies related to the storm, including the removal of fallen trees and sheet metal and the cleaning of affected roads.
Suspension of Transportation and Emergency Shelters
The situation has also severely affected rail transport. Adif has temporarily suspended Cercanías services in Valencia and the Madrid-Valencia connection, with alternative transport plans in process. In addition, the City Council of Valencia has enabled the Petxina Complex to accommodate displaced people or those without access to their homes, where Red Cross volunteers and municipal staff are providing assistance.
Support from the Balearic Islands and Castilla-La Mancha
Faced with this critical situation, the president of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, has offered President Mazón technical support and resources from the Balearic Islands to help in the emergency. This gesture of solidarity also extends to Castilla-La Mancha, where the DANA has also caused significant damage. President Mazón, after his appearance at the Emergency Coordination Center, has asked for calm to the population, assuring that all the troops are mobilized and ready to assist those who need it. The Generalitat has announced that it will keep the emergency communication channels operative, urging the population to stay in safe places and to follow the official recommendations as long as the meteorological risk persists.
Heavy rain
The Valencian Community will remember October 29, 2024 as a sadly “historic” day due to the intensity of a DANA (Isolated High Level Depression) that recorded unprecedented levels of precipitation since the famous cold drop of 1996. In localities such as Chiva (Valencia), more than 445.4 l/m² were accumulated, a figure that the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) and the Valencian Meteorological Association (Avamet) consider “enormous” and of high risk. The automatic station of the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar reported that, by 22:00 hours, Chiva had reached this level of rainfall in just 24 hours, approaching the record of 520 l/m² recorded in Tavernes on September 11, 1996. This volume of water, described as “huge” by the Aemet, is more dangerous because it occurs in inland areas near mountain ranges, which increases the risk of flooding and flooding.
Historical records in inland localities
The Associació Valenciana de Meteorologia has also highlighted that the DANA has severely affected other localities in the region. Municipalities such as Cheste, Buñol and Torís registered more than 400 l/m², while in Requena and Utiel the figures reached 315 and 275 l/m², respectively. These accumulations, described as “an outrage” by Avamet, show the virulence of the storm and the extreme risk of flooding and overflows in the area.
Rainfall alert in inland areas
The Aemet stresses that these precipitations are particularly dangerous when they occur in inland areas close to mountain ranges, since they cause high flows and can generate situations of risk of floods and flash floods. On the coast, although the risk is significant, the volume of water dissipates more easily.