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Dana Alice has arrived with a vengeance in the south of Spain and Thursday's deluge is just a taste of what's to come. The storm has already left a trail of chaos across Alicante and Murcia, with flooded streets, submerged vehicles, diverted flights and a growing list of cancellations for Friday October 10 as the authorities brace for the worst.

 

The State Meteorological Agency has issued red warnings for Friday from 10am to midnight across Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón in Murcia, and the southern Alicante coast. Forecasters are predicting truly alarming rainfall levels of up to 60 litres per square metre in just one hour and a staggering 180 litres over twelve hours.

 

By Thursday evening, the damage was already mounting. Around 150 emergency call-outs kept fire crews busy across Alicante province, dealing with flooding, leaks and vehicles trapped by rising water.

 

In Alicante capital, the force of the water was dragging rubbish bins and containers down streets, turning roads into rivers. The Barranco de las Ovejas was flowing with tremendous force and several vehicles were caught out by the rapidly rising floodwaters.

 

The city of Murcia saw particularly intense rainfall at midday, with the Reguerón gauge in the Los Dolores district recording a staggering 68 litres per square metre in just two hours. Over a six-hour period, the total reached 104 litres per square metre.

 

One 90 year old Murcia resident suffered minor injuries when a roof collapsed, though thankfully he didn’t need to be hospitalised.

 

Over in Cartagena, traffic was cut off on several roads due to accumulated rainwater by mid-afternoon. In parts of the Peral and José María de la Puerta neighbourhoods, the water accumulation made it inadvisable to use vehicles. The city council activated its municipal services in the pre-emergency phase and urged residents to avoid parking in low-lying spots or attempting to drive through flooded areas.

 

Murcia's 112 emergency service received 134 calls by 10pm on Thursday, with the majority involving roadblocks and water pumping. None of the incidents had serious consequences.

 

The storm has also wreaked havoc on air travel. Of the 375 flights scheduled for Friday at Alicante Airport, 12 have been cancelled and seven incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports due to low visibility and strong winds. Fortunately, no major incidents or dangerous situations occurred.

 

 

Region of Murcia president Fernando López Miras has suspended classes across thirteen municipalities for Friday, including Cartagena, San Javier, San Pedro del Pinatar, La Unión, Torre Pacheco, Mazarrón, Los Alcázares, Fuente Álamo, Beniel and Santomera, plus several districts within Murcia, Lorca and Totana.

 

Social centres, early intervention day centres and centres for the elderly in affected municipalities will also close on Friday. All three universities (UMU, UPCT and UCAM) have suspended classes, affecting around 4,000 students in total.

 

Numerous events have been called off throughout the Region of Murcia for Friday. The Hermosa Fest has cancelled the concerts for the first day of the festival, all events at the Murcia Book Fair have been scrapped and visitor centres at Las Salinas and Las Cobaticas will remain closed. The Spanish national football team has also cancelled its planned trip to Elche.

 

Social media has been flooded with dramatic footage showing overflowing ravines, streets turned into rivers and cars being swept along by floodwater. And if the forecast pans out, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

This is not a day to take chances. If you're in an area under red alert, please follow all official instructions, avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from flood-prone areas and keep monitoring official channels for updates.

 

Stay safe out there and look after each other.