THOUSANDS of buildings on the Costa Blanca sit in flood-risk zones, new analysis shows, as flood fears mount amid this year’s stormy season.
Across eight towns worst hit by the catastrophic Storm Adam last week, 12,354 buildings were flagged as vulnerable to flooding more than 10 years ago, official maps have revealed.
The findings raise fresh concerns for thousands of families as more powerful storms threaten Spain’s eastern coast this autumn and winter, with the next heavy downpours forecast as soon as early November.
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A map of flood-risk zones across Valencia province. Credit: Institut Cartogràfic Valencià.
The buildings appear on flood-risk maps drawn up under Patricova, Valencia’s regional flood prevention plan.
Patricova, which was last updated in 2015, identifies areas vulnerable to flooding and sets restrictions on development in high-risk zones.
Under the plan, areas are assigned a risk level ranging from one to six, with level one representing the highest danger and level six the lowest.
The 12,354 at-risk buildings are spread across the Marina Alta and La Safor areas, in Alicante and Valencia provinces respectively, and fall within the municipalities of Bellreguard, Daimus, Denia, Guardamar de la Safor, Miramar, Oliva, Pego and Els Poblets.
All eight towns were battered by disastrous floods last week after Storm Adam wreaked havoc across southeastern Spain, killing five people and forcing more than 2,100 to evacuate or stay indoors.
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Credit: Bombers de Valencia.
New analysis of Patricova maps has now raised concerns that residents could face further disruption as new storm fronts threaten Spain’s eastern coast – including evacuations and damage to homes.
Speaking to local newspaper Levante-EMV, experts explained that when floodwaters rise during a storm, they tend to follow ancient routes shaped by the region’s geography.
Many of the buildings flagged as at risk under Patricova stand on historic floodplains or former river courses – meaning they are more likely to flood during heavy downpours than other nearby areas.
As a result, calls are now growing on regional authorities to update their flood plans and urban planning rules, with experts cautioning that the latest deluge could reveal a far greater area at risk than previously thought.
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Credit: Bombers de Valencia.
The stark warning follows grim forecasts from meteorologists, who have given a 50% chance that a powerful new storm could sweep across the Costa Blanca on November 3 and 4.
According to the European weather model ECMWF, the storm could dump up to 276mm of rain on Valencia’s La Safor area – more than half a year’s worth of rain in a single day, based on historical data from Spain’s weather agency AEMET.
Rainfall across the coast is forecast to average around 100mm, with peaks of 150mm in Alicante city and 200mm in Castellon.
Meteorologists have warned there is still a chance the storm may not come to pass, as eight-day forecasts are uncertain and need to be monitored closely.
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