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WEATHER

Emergency measures in place as downpour makes Spanish rivers overflow

Torrential rain which started drenching Spain at the weekend has caused major problems in the south-east of the country, with rivers bursting their banks and roads closed to traffic.

Published: 19 December 2016 12:26 CET
Emergency measures in place as downpour makes Spanish rivers overflow
The Segura river flooding Orihuela after it burst its banks. Photo: Manuel Lorenzo/AFP

In Murcia, level two of the autonomous community’s anti-flooding civil protection plan has been activated, which means state resources can be called in to battle the problems. Classes have been suspended in 28 municipalities in the community and an amber weather alert is in place following heavy rain in Campo de Cartagena and Mazarron.

More than 20 Murcian roads have been closed. The regional government has recommended that travelling by road on Monday should only be done if absolutely necessary and always via main roads, with secondary and minor roads avoided.

More than 350 people were rescued from cars and residencies in the area at the weekend due to the heavy rain, according to the emergency services.

In the Valencian Community the rain has also been intense, leading to classes being called off in 50 towns across Alicante and Valencia.

The Segura river broke its banks at several points in Orihuela, Alicante, something which hasn’t happened since 1987, and a level one flood warning is in place in the region on Monday, with more water expected to flow into the area from Murcia over the course of the day.

The Segura reached a height of six metres at various points, and at 05:00 on Monday morning flowed over its banks around the Puente del Rey bridge in central Orihuela.

In Valencia’s Ontinyent municipality meanwhile the river Clariano has also overflown, with residents capturing dramatic footage of the intense water on Monday.

Heavy rain has struck the Balearic Islands too, and the downpour is due to move into Catalonia over the course of Monday.

WEATHER

Denmark records deepest snow level for 13 years

Blizzards in Denmark this week have resulted in the greatest depth of snow measured in the country for 13 years.

Published: 4 January 2024 14:18 CET
Denmark records deepest snow level for 13 years

A half-metre of snow, measured at Hald near East Jutland town Randers, is the deepest to have occurred in Denmark since January 2011, national meteorological agency DMI said.

The measurement was taken by the weather agency at 8am on Thursday.

Around 20-30 centimetres of snow was on the ground across most of northern and eastern Jutland by Thursday, as blizzards peaked resulting in significant disruptions to traffic and transport.

A much greater volume of snow fell in 2011, however, when over 100 centimetres fell on Baltic Sea island Bornholm during a post-Christmas blizzard, which saw as much as 135 centimetres on Bornholm at the end of December 2010.

READ ALSO: Denmark’s January storms could be fourth extreme weather event in three months

With snowfall at its heaviest for over a decade, Wednesday saw a new rainfall record. The 59 millimetres which fell at Svendborg on the island of Funen was the most for a January day in Denmark since 1886. Some 9 weather stations across Funen and Bornholm measured over 50cm of rain.

DMI said that the severe weather now looks to have peaked.

“We do not expect any more weather records to be set in the next 24 hours. But we are looking at some very cold upcoming days,” DMI meteorologist and press spokesperson Herdis Damberg told news wire Ritzau.

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