You are here
Home > News > Record-breaking May rain in Spain’s Valencia triggers floods

Record-breaking May rain in Spain’s Valencia triggers floods

The Spanish region of Valencia experienced a record-breaking downpour for the month of May which triggered floods and caused chaos in the transport system. Over 200 litres of rain per square metre over a span of 24 hours was registered.

The weather station at Camins al Grau in the city recorded over 260 litres of rain per square metre. Local media reported tunnels had been closed and the metro system was also shut, as the region witnessed the largest rainfall registered for the month of May since records began to be kept in 1871.

Torrential rain caused delays on flooded highways and many cars got submerged when the water rose fast due to heavy rain. Valencia’s fire department reported it had carried out several rescue operations where people were trapped in their cars in heavily flooded areas.

Some schools have been closed and rail services interrupted or suspended.

Hail and heavy rain also affected areas further north, including parts of the capital, Madrid, where 29 incidents, including 16 interventions for flood water clearance, were reported.

With the rain showing no sign of abating, Spain’s weather agency AEMET designated a yellow alert for the Valencia region.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top