Storm Laurence puts Murcia on yellow and orange alert this Tuesday
The rain warnings are in place until 4pm this afternoon
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has updated its weather warnings for today, Tuesday March 18, and has issued yellow-level rain alerts for the northwest, centre and northeast of the Region of Murcia – where they warn of the possibility of 15-20mm of rainfall per hour between 7am and 4pm due to the arrival of Storm Laurence – and orange warnings for the southwest and Mar Menor area, which could receive up to 30mm of rainfall per hour.
Some municipalities, such as Cartagena and Lorca – which was the worst affected by Storm Jana two weeks ago – have activated their pre-emergency phase flood plans to deal with “any eventualities that may occur,” according to the city council.
People in the centre of Águilas were surprised this Tuesday morning by a sudden downpour that rushed down the street like a river:
🔴🌧️La tromba de agua sorprende a los vecinos de Águilas en el casco urbano
— Onda Regional (@ORMurcia) March 18, 2025
🟡Recordamos que permanece activo el aviso amarillo en toda Región de Murcia menos el Campo de Cartagena hasta las 16:00 horas según @AEMET_Murcia
Barrio de las Yucas
📹José María Pereda pic.twitter.com/Og4oCqBpm0
Already in Águilas, there have been at least 65 incidents reported to the emergency services due to the weather, including nine people who got trapped inside their vehicles on the RM-D18 road near Calarreona.
As a result of the rain, schools,early care centres and social centres have been shut in the municipalities of Águilas, Aledo, Alhama de Murcia, Cartagena, Fuente Álamo, La Unión, Librilla, Lorca, Los Alcázares, Mazarrón, San Javier, San Pedro del Pinatar, Torre Pacheco, Totana and Puerto Lumbreras.
Faced with episodes of heavy rain such as this, people are reminded to remove from outside their homes any “objects that could be swept away by the water”, as well as to “periodically check roofs, drains and downpipes; not park vehicles or camp in dry riverbeds, or on the banks of rivers, to avoid being surprised by a sudden rise in water or by a flood.”
In addition, Lorca city council recommends that people “avoid driving on the road, and if you must travel, preferably on main roads and motorways”.
The rain is expected to clear by this afternoon, leaving a sunny end to Tuesday, and the weather forecast for Wednesday and Thursday this week is largely dry and bright. However, the arrival later this week of Storm Martinho, the fourth large named storm to hit Spain in 12 days after Jana, Konrad and Laurence, could bring fresh downpours from Friday and the weekend.
>>> Follow our Murcia Weather Watch Facebook group for more weather updates or see our Weather & Climate page <<<
Image: Aemet
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