Simon Wade
FAMILIES have endured sleeping in an Orihuela school after they were evacuated from their Orihuela homes late last night.
After raising the Emergency Situation to Level One yesterday afternoon, the Municipal Operational Cooperation Center (CECOPAL) released a statement this morning reassuring citizens that all possible actions are being taken to keep them safe.
It comes as storms are predicted to continue through Friday (today).
The update includes the news that roughly 300 troops were drafted in to help respond to emergencies.
Those rehoused into temporary accommodation at Virgen de la Puerta school include 25 people from Oriol Occupational Center, 45 residents of the El Badén district and 130 people trapped in the Puente Alto Industrial Estate in the district of El Escorratel.
Approaches to the city remained closed for most of Thursday, including streets, paths and roads that were flooded by heavy rains.
CECOPAL received the support of the Valencian Generalitat and the Provincial Council of Alicante, in addition to the deployment of the EMU (with 178 military and 76 vehicles).
The mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana, and the Councilor for Emergencies, Víctor Valverde, have thanked all personnel for their efforts.
Because so many staff are being used to help citizens, the customer service department of the Council will be closed until Monday.
The districts most affected by this storm have been El Badén, La Campaneta, La Matanza, La Aparecida and Raiguero de Bonanza.
The underground passages, the Rambla de Campoamor and Playa de La Glea remain closed.
In the city centre, the most affected areas have been the neighbourhoods around the Monte de San Miguel Belt and the Palmeral area.
READ MORE:
- WATCH: Water gushes through toilets and sinks at Costa Blanca hospital during gota fría storm
- WATCH: Cars swept down 3m-high weir as rainfall exceeding 400mm hammers Costa Blanca village
- City-wide curfew and ‘Level One Emergency’ in Orihuela as Costa Blanca deals with torrential floods
- BREAKING: Extreme risk ‘red alert’ warning issued for all of Alicante from midnight Wednesday as Gota Fría batters the…
If you or family have been effected by the storms and flooding in the Orihuela area, please contact us at newsdesk@theolivepress.es
