Lorraine Williamson
Heavy rain and fierce winds have once again battered eastern Spain, with Storm Alice bringing chaos across southern Catalonia and the Valencian Community. Following an unusually dry late summer, this latest deluge has reignited fears of a repeat of last year’s DANA episodes—triggering flash floods, travel disruption, and widespread evacuations.
In the Montsià area of Tarragona, the weekend brought scenes of devastation. Torrential rain turned main roads into fast-flowing streams, trapping drivers and flooding ground-floor homes. Parts of the AP-7 motorway between Freginals and Ulldecona were submerged, while the N-340 and C-12 were also closed after becoming impassable.
Train services between Barcelona and Valencia were suspended after rail lines through the Ebro Delta were swamped. More than 3,000 passengers were affected, with Renfe warning that normal operations will depend on safety assessments once floodwaters recede.
Emergency shelters and mass evacuations
Emergency services were inundated with calls as the scale of the flooding became clear. Over 1,000 incidents were logged in just a few hours, with rescue teams working through the night to reach people stranded in their homes and vehicles. Around 150 residents were evacuated from flooded areas in Montsià and given temporary shelter in municipal facilities, while the Red Cross mobilised to assist hundreds more in neighbouring towns.
Inspector Oriol Corbella of the Catalan Fire Brigade described the situation as “unprecedented,” citing the overwhelming number of simultaneous alerts across multiple regions.
Valencia hit hard as rivers overflow
Further south, the storm left its mark on the Valencian Community. In Carcaixent, floodwaters swept through streets and basements, cutting power to parts of the town. Mayor Carolina Almiñana urged residents to remain indoors, while in Aldaia—still recovering from last year’s floods—roads near the La Saleta ravine once again disappeared under water.
Red alerts and service suspensions
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, has issued a red alert for the southern coast of both Tarragona and Valencia, warning of torrential rain and extreme risk of flooding. Up to 100 millimetres of rainfall may accumulate in just one hour, according to AEMET’s latest bulletin, which remains in effect until mid-afternoon on Monday. Authorities are urging residents to stay home and follow all Civil Protection guidance as the threat of flash floods and sudden surges remains high.
The Generalitat confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that today, all educational activities, sports events, and non-urgent services at social and healthcare centres in these regions would remain suspended. Schools, day centres for the elderly and disabled, and public sports facilities have been ordered to close until conditions improve.
Residents are urged to work from home and avoid unnecessary travel, with the possibility of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) being deployed if the situation worsens.
A pattern repeating itself
This is not the first time Catalonia and Valencia have faced extreme weather in early autumn. In recent years, heavy rain and flooding have followed long periods of heat and drought—patterns experts link to a warming Mediterranean and shifting climate cycles.
Storm Alice, which earlier swept through Ibiza and Valencia before hitting Catalonia, has now moved offshore. Yet meteorologists warn that unstable air masses could bring further downpours in the coming days.
Leadership and caution amid chaos
President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, chaired an emergency coordination meeting from the Department of the Interior, urging residents to “exercise maximum caution and follow official instructions.” The Generalitat’s civil protection services continue to monitor high-risk areas around Alcanar, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, and Ulldecona, where rivers remain dangerously swollen.
Meteorologists from the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) have also issued alerts for sudden rises in river levels, while AEMET maintains an orange alert for renewed rainfall later this week.
Climate pressures mounting
For communities across Catalonia and Valencia, Storm Alice has reinforced an unsettling reality: what were once considered exceptional weather events are becoming increasingly frequent. With floodwaters still subsiding and homes filled with mud and debris, the focus now shifts to recovery—and to questions about how Spain’s coastal regions can better prepare for a future of intensifying storms.
Sources: RTVE, 20 Minutos