Spain’s national weather agency AEMET has placed the eastern Valencia region on red alert for intense rainfall, raising fears of a disaster similar to last year’s devastating ‘DANA’ floods that claimed 235 lives there last October. Alerts have also been maintained for areas of southern Catalonia.
AEMET described the risk as one of ‘extraordinary danger’, with the provinces of Tarragona (Catalonia), Castellón (Valencia region) and Valencia itself under warning on late Sunday, continuing into Monday. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez repeated the call for vigilance.
Heavy downpours arrived as predicted on Sunday night, with parts of Valencia recording more than 80 litres per square metre. In Aldaia, a ravine overflowed after 57 litres per square metre fell in just 35 minutes.
Emergency crews have already carried out rescues of motorists stranded by the deluge. Meanwhile, rail services have been disrupted across the region, and several major highways are impassable due to flooding.
The storm also swept further north: in Zaragoza (Aragon) torrential rainfall inundated streets overnight. In Amposta, Tarragona province, gauges registered 200 litres of rain per square metre since Sunday.
Referring to the AEMET warnings, Sánchez urged residents to ‘follow the instructions of the emergency services at all times’.
Local authorities announced that schools and colleges in Valencia city would remain closed on Monday. Public spaces – including libraries, parks, gardens, markets and cemeteries – are also shut. On Sunday afternoon, residents received a red-alert notification on their mobile phones.
Catalonia’s education department also suspended schools on Monday in the southern counties of Montsià and Baix Ebre due to torrential rain affecting around 25,000 students.
AEMET cautioned that Monday and Tuesday are expected to bring the ‘most adverse’ conditions linked to Storm Gabrielle, the remnants of a hurricane that weakened as it reached Spain. The red alert in Valencia will take effect from midday Monday.
The region remains traumatised by last October’s catastrophic floods, which left 235 people dead and inflicted billions of euros in damage. Scientists noted that climate change made the extreme rainfall even more destructive. ALSO READ: Spain to honour victims of Valencia floods in state memorial service.
Since then, local communities have staged repeated protests, accusing authorities of mishandling the crisis and failing to issue timely warnings, despite alerts already having been released by the weather agency. ALSO READ: Tens of thousands rally against leader of flood-hit Valencia – the 5th major protest.
Click here for all our reports related to the Valencia Floods.
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En directo, alerta roja por lluvias: rescates en vehículos, inundaciones y suspensión de clases
— RTVE (@rtve) September 29, 2025
🔴El norte de Castellón y Valencia mantienen activo el nivel rojo por lluvias torrenciales
Sigue la última hora en el Canal 24 Horas, programas de @La1_tve y https://t.co/rnA9WSuiO9 pic.twitter.com/Sts5OUZCZq
Recuerda que la @AEMET_Esp ha emitido aviso ROJO por lluvias torrenciales en el este y sur de la península.
— La Moncloa (@desdelamoncloa) September 29, 2025
🚨 Mucha precaución.
Si no tienes claro qué significa cada aviso, te lo explicamos, aquí👇https://t.co/YUvYAo5oHE pic.twitter.com/c1tdSUW4b7
🔴⛈️AVISOS ROJOS | Lluvias torrenciales.
— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) September 29, 2025
¡Peligro extraordinario! ¡Precaución!
➡️ Vigentes en Tarragona y Castellón hasta el mediodía (12:00 h) del lunes.
➡️ En la provincia de Valencia en vigor hasta la medianoche (0:00 h) del lunes al martes.
➡️ Atención a las inundaciones. pic.twitter.com/qkScE1jmMH
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