The storm Adam alters the beginning of the week in the Balearic Islands. The Government has announced the suspension of classes this Monday, October 19, in Mallorca, Ibiza, and Formentera due to the forecast of new heavy rains and the risk of flooding. The decision has been made in coordination with the General Directorate of Emergencies. (cadenaser.com)
The Military Emergency Unit has also mobilized troops from its third battalion, based in Valencia, to embark towards Ibiza and Mallorca to support emergency services. The announcement corresponds to the departure of the units to the islands, not to the confirmation that the entire device is already deployed on the ground.
The episode has also left one fatality in Catalonia. Rescue teams located the body of the woman who went missing on Saturday after being swept away by a stream in Cabrera de Mar, in the province of Barcelona, this Sunday.
Where classes are suspended on Monday, October 19
The suspension announced by the Balearic Executive affects educational centers in Mallorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. Menorca is not included in that decision, so it should not be interpreted as a general closure of classes throughout the archipelago.
There are also cancellations in the Valencian Community. Gandia has communicated the suspension of classes on Monday in all its educational centers, including municipal nursery schools. In Oliva, the suspension of teaching activities remains in place while the alert is active, according to municipal information collected by Radio Gandia. These decisions do not equate to a general suspension for the entire autonomous community.
Families should consult the communications from their center and the educational authorities before traveling. Decisions may be expanded or modified as the storm evolves.
The UME mobilizes towards Ibiza and Mallorca
The military mobilization seeks to reinforce the response to the incidents caused by Adam. The president of the Government, Marga Prohens, has thanked the availability of the UME and highlighted the collaboration between administrations.
The announced deployment has Ibiza and Mallorca as destinations. Formentera is included in the suspension of classes, but it does not appear as a destination for the units in that deployment communication.
Emergencies has warned that a temporary decrease in rain does not imply the end of the risk. In Ibiza and Formentera, the special plan against flooding, Inunbal, has been activated at operational situation 2, while services work to recover affected areas and maintain vigilance over the torrents.
More than 200 liters in points of La Safor
The Valencian comarca of La Safor has concentrated some of the largest accumulations on Sunday. According to data from Avamet collected until 12:30 hours, Real de Gandia had recorded 208.2 liters per square meter and Rafelcofer, 203.4.
Also noteworthy were Benirredrà, with 194.8 liters, and Gandia-Marxuquera, with 183. These are records corresponding to that time cut: they should not be confused with the final balance of the day or with the amounts expected for the following hours.
The southern coast of Valencia and the northern part of Alicante have been under red alert for rain during the day. The Generalitat has sent ES-Alert messages to request that travel and passage through flood-prone areas be avoided.
In Valencia, the City Council has suspended outdoor activities and closed parks, gardens, and cemeteries. Fire services have reinforced their deployment in light of the risk of flooding and new incidents.
They find the woman missing in Cabrera in Premià de Mar
The body of the woman swept away by the stream of Cabrera de Mar has appeared this Sunday in the sea, near the breakwater of the port of Premià de Mar.
The discovery occurred after a search that lasted throughout the night. The operation involved the Bombers de la Generalitat along with other emergency and security services.
The victim had disappeared during the heavy rainfall on Saturday. Her death constitutes the most serious known consequence of the episode in Catalonia.
What to expect for Monday: the episode is not over
Aemet places Sunday the 18th and Monday the 19th among the most adverse days of this episode. The dana, combined with the entry of humid air from the Mediterranean, favors intense and persistent rainfall in the eastern peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
The risk does not depend solely on how much it rains at a specific moment. The prior accumulation of water can complicate drainage and favor rapid rises in torrents, ramblas, and other waterways.
It is advisable to distinguish, furthermore, the weather warnings from Aemet from the levels activated by Civil Protection. They are not the same classification nor do they necessarily have identical schedules. That a red warning period ends does not mean that the floods have disappeared or that the restrictions have been lifted.
What to do if you receive an ES-Alert for floods
The recommendations conveyed to the population of the affected areas focus on reducing exposure to water and avoiding risky movements:
* Do not cross flooded streets, underpasses, or roads, even if it seems that the water has little depth.
* Stay away from rivers, ravines, torrents, and exposed coastal areas.
* If the water starts to rise, seek a higher place or upper floors.
* Do not go down to basements or garages to remove vehicles or objects.
* Do not use elevators during a flood.
* Pay special attention to people who need help moving.
Civil Protection maintains the call to follow the evolution of the storm and the instructions of the emergency services. The priority for the coming hours is to avoid unnecessary movements and not to interpret a pause in the rain as a sign that the episode has concluded.