The storm is reactivated in the Ebro: Civil Protection asks for confinement to the residents of Baix Ebre and Montsià

Tortosa / BarcelonaThe heavy downpours that have struck the Terres de l'Ebre during the early morning hours do not cease. In fact, this Friday, at first light, they have reactivated with force. The Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat) has already issued two new warnings, one to warn of the intensity of the rain and a second to request the confinement of the residents of Baix Ebre and Montsià.

The new warning sets a risk level for rain of 6/6 until 9:20 hours and warns that more than 90 liters per square meter could be exceeded in three hours in these two regions. The texts, broadcast through mobile phones, warn of significant flooding and ask the population not to go outside. It also recommends accessing upper floors if flooding is detected on the ground floors of buildings.

Torrential rains at this very point have already left up to 192 liters per square meter accumulated in Mas de Barberans and 147 in Tortosa over the last 24 hours, and during the night they have caused flooding in streets and overflowed ravines. The mayor of Santa Bàrbara, Lluis Gimeno, told Catalunya Ràdio that in his municipality they have recorded 113 liters in just one hour. "An excessive amount of water is falling and this is overflowing the streets and the municipality's drainage systems," he said. "Now that the day is breaking we will see the real impacts inside homes, warehouses, and we will see how we have to react," added Gimeno.

The Firefighters have attended to 50 calls in the two regions between eleven at night and six in the morning, while the Ebro Emergency Region has accumulated 71 since the evening. Most have been for flooding in ground floors, mobility problems, and electrical incidents.

The 112 emergency phone number has received 242 calls until six in the morning. In any case, for the moment, there have been no significant incidents, Civil Protection points out. But the situation of the ravines of the Cardó mountain range and the Gaviots, and of the Galera ravine, worries the emergency services. The Pelós ravine has overflowed in Santa Bàrbara and several streets in Tortosa have been flooded. There are four roads cut off: sections of the C-12, the T-1025, the TV-3421, and the T-331.

The Minister of Interior and Public Security, Núria Parlon, went out last night to ask the public for “maximum caution and prudence” in the face of this episode and to remain “alert” to alerts. She said this in an appearance from the CECAT (Operational Coordination Centre of Catalonia), which has been active throughout the night monitoring the downpours.

So far, only one incident has been recorded in which a person had to be taken to a hospital yesterday, Thursday, following the rainfall episode. According to Civil Protection, the person suffered injuries of a less serious nature.

Activity stopped

Given the forecast of heavy rain, several municipalities in Montsià and Baix Ebre already decided yesterday to suspend school activities. Specifically, this Friday there have been no classes in Alcanar, Amposta, Freginals, la Ràpita, Mas de Barberans, Masdenverge, Santa Bàrbara, and also in Deltebre. In these areas, municipal facilities and spaces have also been closed as a preventive measure.

"We have not regretted any personal injury and that is partly because we took measures: we decided to close the educational centers because we saw that the Department of Education was not doing it and the families had to organize themselves", stated the mayor of Tortosa, Mar Lleixà, in an interview with 3cat. "We believe it is what had to be done, we must coordinate well and the premise is to prevent people from circulating and to avoid personal injury", added the mayor.

Suspensions also at Renfe

The heavy rains, once again, also have an impact on mobility. Renfe has announced the suspension of several long-distance services on the Mediterranean corridor between Catalonia and the Valencian Community due to the storm. Regional trains have also been affected and there have been changes to routes. Railway circulation remains conditioned by the evolution of the rainfall and safety checks on the infrastructure.

The Valencian Community, on red alert

The Valencian Country is also a victim of the heavy downpours. The rains that have fallen so far in Castellón have left accumulations exceeding 100 litres per square metre in various points and have led the Valencian Government to send three ES-Alerts. The episode has also caused flooding and mobility disruptions.

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has activated a red alert for rain in areas of Castellón and the coast of Valencia, given the forecast that very significant amounts of precipitation will accumulate in a few hours. In addition, fifty municipalities have suspended classes this morning, including some of the towns most affected by the DANA two years ago, given the forecast for continued rain.