Storm Alice brings floods and evacuations to eastern Spain

A potent weather system known as Storm Alice unleashed heavy, persistent rains across eastern and southeastern Spain this week, prompting red, amber and yellow warnings, evacuations and widespread flooding from October 8 onward. The national weather agency Aemet said the most intense conditions are expected through Saturday October 11, with the greatest accumulations concentrated in Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, including Ibiza and Formentera.

Aemet warned of very heavy, persistent rainfall driven by an anticyclone to the north that will funnel abundant moisture into the Mediterranean coast. Forecasters said the storm could produce torrential downpours locally, with forecasts including as much as 140 millimetres in 12 hours in parts of Valencia, up to 180 millimetres in 12 hours in Tarragona province, and short-duration totals of around 100 millimetres in four hours in the Balearics. Aemet said the peak days are likely Friday and Saturday, and it advised careful monitoring of forecasts and warnings as the system’s exact track and interaction with surface winds remain uncertain.

The rains produced flash flooding in low-lying areas, streams and...