During the easterly winds of two weeks ago that hit Catalonia hard, The Empordà plain was completely floodedEspecially the entire stretch of the Baix Ter, on both sides of the riverbeds before the mouth, with crops ruined, roads closed, and beaches covered in sediment. Even the Ullà retaining wall, a 17th-century structure, was breached, suffering structural damage from the storm. Glory In 2020, a project diverted water from the river through irrigation ditches and streams for surrounding crops. Two weeks later, the damage is still visible: fields are covered in puddles, rural roads are damaged, streams continue to flow strongly, and the Ter Gorge is full of logs and debris. Repairing it will cost the local councils and farmers thousands of euros, and they have already requested assistance from the Catalan government. And this is by no means the first time this has happened: every five to eight years, when there is heavy rainfall in the region or when the river is full due to torrential rains in the Pasteral reservoir basin, the situation repeats itself. In fact, according to the Catalan flood zone map, the area between Girona and Estartit is one of the largest flood-prone zones in the country. For all these reasons, mayors, business owners, farmers, and scientists are demanding improvements and working on new initiatives to prevent, as far as possible, the effects of future floods. The region's main complaint focuses on the state of the roads, which on days of heavy rain makes it impossible to travel by car between municipalities such as Ultramort, Verges, Jafre, Sierra de Daró, Torroella de Montgrí, and Pals. The Central Board of Users of the Baix Ter, which represents some forty municipalities, private landowners, and the irrigation community, laments this situation: "Any emergency becomes extremely complicated and puts the safety of people at risk, for example, those who need to go to the hospital in Palamós or travel for family reasons," explains Francesc. €50 million to improve roads

This is a long-standing demand: to raise by half a meter roads that haven't been upgraded in decades, with narrow lanes, often two-way, and without shoulders that run directly onto the ditch. After several meetings, the Generalitat (Catalan government) has committed to this, and the Department of Territory, just before the outbreak of commuter rail chaosThe Catalan government presented the mayors with a comprehensive program of actions to improve the roads of the Baix Ter region, with a total investment exceeding 50 million euros. The main project will be the improvement of the Verges–Colomers route (GI-633 and GI-634), with a budget of 14 million euros, which includes widening seven kilometers of road and improving its alignment. The project will be put out to tender in the second quarter of this year, and work will begin in winter, along with other improvements to secondary roads. In parallel, following the effects of the storm, the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) also intends to launch a comprehensive flood risk study of the Baix Ter region to define structural measures and reduce risks.

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48 hours after the easterly wind that has severely battered the Girona region, with one fatality in Palau-Sator and one tragic train accident in GelidaThe cleanup, reconstruction, and damage assessment efforts have begun. Along the entire Costa Brava coastline, beaches are covered in sand and driftwood, while across the Baix Ter plain in the Empordà region, many apple, corn, and rice fields remain flooded due to the overflowing river, with some secondary roads still closed. The towns most affected by the Ter's flooding, as usual, are those closest to its mouth. Ullà, Torroella de Montgrí, Estartit, Gualta, Verges, and Serra de Daró were isolated throughout Tuesday due to large pools of water on the roads and roundabouts leading into and out of the towns. This is the area where the river runs at its fullest, as it receives the entire flow of the Onyar River, which, as it passes through Girona, was carrying a significant volume of water, reaching within meters of the famous colorful houses in the city center. And also the Daró stream, a dry riverbed that in the early hours of Tuesday was flowing at 500 m³/s through La Bisbal d'Empordà. This causes the water to flow along the slopes and cover fields and roads, without affecting the town centers, which are slightly elevated and farther from the streambeds, but leaving mobility completely disrupted.

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