EXTREME storms battering Spain's east coast forced Valencia to shut its commercial port – one of the largest in Europe – for over seven hours today (Sunday), and the State meteorological agency, AEMET, has warned the public to stay away from seafronts and piers.
AEMET counted over 250 bolts of lightning between Saturday night and Sunday morning, when the heavens opened, leaving between 80 and 90 litres of rain per square metre (eight to nine centimetres, or three to four inches) in the space of an hour in the Comunidad Valenciana and Region of Murcia.
Winds of up to 40 knots off the ports of Valencia and Sagunto, a few kilometres to the north and which remains shut, were reported, and between 60 and 82 kilometres per hour (37 to 51mph) on land.
In some parts of the Comunidad Valenciana, rainfall reached 152 litres per square metre, 127 and 106.4 in Millena, Confrides and Murla (Alicante province) respectively, whilst in the same province, 96 litres were registered in Beneixama and Alcoi and 86.2 in Callosa d'en Sarrià.
Further ndorth, in the province of Valencia, 95 and 88 litres were reported in Estubeny and Vallada, and 85.2 in Pinet.
Overnight, between 37 litres per square metre (in Ontinyent, Valencia province) and 55 litres (in Benidorm, Alicante province) struck much of the region, with readings ranging between the two in Alicante city and the Valencia province towns of Xàtiva and Fontanars dels Alforins.
Nearly double the amount of rain recorded to date in the last four months fell in six or seven hours, AEMET reveals.
Lightning strikes in the Valencia-province districts of La Ribera and L'Horta Sud, gales in Xàtiva, Jávea and Elche – the latter two in the province of Alicante – and various incidents including rendering collapsing and people trapped have been reported in Sedaví, Gandia, La Font de la Figuera, Catarroja, Ayora, Gátova, Bocairent and Torrent.
Snow plougs were needed in inland areas, especially in the province of Valencia on the CV-657 through Fontanars, whilst trees blocked roads and cliffs crumbled shutting off highways, including the CV-651 between Aielo de Malferit and Moixent, and the CV-600 between Xàtiva and Llocnou d'En Fenollet.
Snow in the Sierra de Segura, in the Region of Murcia, and in the Castellón-province districts of Els Ports, Alt Maestrat and Baix Maestrat has been reported, with the Murcia incident leaving 1,200 residents without electricity.
AEMET has warned of possible power cuts across the two regions due to wind, rain, and snow in inland parts and at high altitudes.
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