New ES-Alert in the Terres de l'Ebre due to heavy rains: the episode will last until Friday at midday

BarcelonaTorrential rains are returning and Catalonia is preparing for some intense hours, especially in the south of the country. Although since this morning the Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat) had activated the highest level—red—for this evening in the south of the country, in the latest update at seven in the evening it has downgraded this forecast to the orange level, with a danger of 4 out of 6 regarding the rains expected for this Thursday evening. However, it does maintain a red alert, with a danger of 5 out of 6 starting from midnight in the Terres de l'Ebre region where the precipitation may leave downpours exceeding 40 liters per square meter in just half an hour. In fact, Civil Protection sent a new ES-Alert at 9 PM warning the districts of Montsià, Baix Ebre, Ribera d'Ebre, and Baix Camp that the forecast for intense rains is extended until Friday at noon.

The Minister of Interior and Public Security, Núria Parlon, has asked the public for “maximum caution and prudence” in the face of this episode and to be “attentive” to the alerts, as more than 200 liters may accumulate in this area. Since the morning, the Generalitat Firefighters have attended to 55 notices due to the rains throughout the country and 112 has received 126 calls, none of them with a notable incident, according to information provided by Imma Solé, deputy director of Civil Protection.

In parallel, one person had to be taken to a hospital center this Thursday following the rain episode. According to information provided by Civil Protection, the person had injuries of a less serious nature. The Government also indicates that the Medical Emergency System (SEM) has received thirteen alerts with a total of twelve people affected.

Furthermore, in view of the forecast that the downpours will continue to be intense in the south of the country this Friday, up to nine municipalities in Montsià and Baix Ebre have suspended classes. Specifically, there will be no school in all the towns of the Montsià region—Alcanar, Amposta, Freginals, la Ràpita, Mas de Barberans, Masdenverge, Santa Bàrbara—and in Deltebre and Tortosa. In these areas, municipal facilities and spaces have also been closed as a preventive measure.

In fact, the first significant rainfall records have already arrived: the storm has left up to 80 liters of water per square meter on the Illa de Buda, in the Ebro Delta, 68 liters in Bisbal del Penedès (Baix Penedès), and 56 in Blancafort (Conca de Barberà). The director of the Meteorological Service of Catalonia, Sarai Sarroca, has explained that after a few hours with more local and disconnected precipitation, the situation will intensify again starting from midnight or two in the morning.

First suspensions at Renfe

Renfe has already announced that it is suspending several long-distance trains on the Mediterranean corridor starting at 6 p.m. this Thursday due to the forecast of heavy rain between Catalonia and Valencia. Specifically, the Alvia from Cordoba to Barcelona with arrival at 8:51 p.m. at Sants will be terminated in Valencia, while three Euromed and one Intercity train between the two autonomous communities have been suspended. Additionally, the Avant Express departing from Barcelona Sants at 5:50 p.m. bound for Tortosa will end its journey at Camp de Tarragona. Tomorrow's departure of the Avant Express will take place from this station at 7:12 a.m. instead of departing from Tortosa.

Also, starting at 6 p.m., two regional trains may have their circulation suspended for part of the route due to the storm. These are the trains on the R16 line of Rodalies de Catalunya departing from Barcelona Estació de França bound for Tortosa at 7:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Depending on weather conditions, both trains may end their journey in Tarragona.

Possible severe weather

In a media briefing, the head of Forecasting at Meteocat, Santi Segalà, has warned that the storms may be accompanied by violent weather phenomena, such as tornadoes, waterspouts, or strong wind gusts.

For her part, the deputy director of Civil Protection, Imma Solé, explained that all municipalities and agencies will be informed about this new alert situation for rain, which she insisted is of a "very general" scope, although with different levels of danger.

Specifically, the red danger warning begins at 12:00 PM in the counties of Tarragona and the south of Barcelona. Starting at 6:00 PM, the alert will move towards Baix Ebre, Montsià, and Terra Alta, and from midnight until six in the morning, the rains are expected to remain stalled in Baix Ebre and Montsià. In the Ebre region, therefore, the storm is expected to last up to 18 hours.

The Valencian Community, on red alert

Furthermore, it should be taken into account that the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has raised the rain warning to red starting at 6 p.m. for the coast and the northern interior of Castellón and the coast of Valencia, given the forecast that 90 liters per square meter could accumulate in one hour and up to 250 liters in 12 hours.

At 10 a.m., the Generalitat Valenciana sent an ES-Alert requesting that people avoid travel and stay away from ravines and riverbeds. In addition, in the Valencian Country, fifty municipalities have suspended classes this morning, and it is expected that more will be added over the next few hours in view of the increase in rainfall.