VIDEO: Dozens of dead rats wash up on Alicante beaches
It’s believed the torrential rain that hit Alicante last week caused the sewage system to collapse
Denunciamos el colapso del saneamiento en Alicante: los aliviaderos vierten aguas sin tratar al mar… y ya aparecen hasta ratas muertas en nuestras playas. El Ayuntamiento mira a otro lado. Exigimos soluciones.https://t.co/NS4bRqg7xR video en @radioalicante pic.twitter.com/jLHgre6wHA
— Manolo Copé (@manocope) May 18, 2025
Beachgoers in Alicante got an unpleasant surprise this weekend: dozens of dead rats were spotted floating in the water near Cocó Beach, Urbanova Beach and the sailing school at the Real Club de Regatas. The grim discovery came just days after a major downpour hit the area and officials believe the storm may have overwhelmed the city's sewage system.
The heavy rain last Wednesday May 14 likely caused the sewers to overflow, pushing all kinds of waste, including dead rodents, straight into the sea.
Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been worse. The incident happened right in the middle of the Alicante Triathlon, causing disgust and alarm among athletes and swimmers who found themselves disturbingly close to the soggy rodent remains.
This situation has once again highlighted problems with Alicante’s drainage and sewage systems, which clearly struggle during intense storms. Some parts of the city saw more than 40 litres of rain per square metre in just one hour last week.
On top of that, there’s a growing problem with people flushing things they shouldn’t, namely wet wipes and sanitary products, which clog up the pipes and make overflows even worse. According to the local water company, Aguas de Alicante, more than a thousand tonnes of wipes are pulled out of the system each year, causing major blockages in both public and private pipes.
In response to the rat incident, Trini Amorós, deputy spokesperson for the Socialist group of the city council, didn’t hold back.
“Alicante can’t allow rats to float on our beaches and sandbanks,” she said, calling the situation a clear sign of poor maintenance and lack of control when it comes to sanitation and pest management.
Ms Amorós also warned that beyond the health risks, this damages Alicante’s reputation as a tourist destination and affects locals who simply want to enjoy a swim. She’s demanding answers from the regional government and calling for immediate steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Image: Archive
See more news about animals in Spain:
OR
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin to get a comprehensive email with all the week’s news for Spain, Murcia, Alicante and Andalucía.
Get a sneak peek – here are a few of our recent Subscription Bulletins:
Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
