Laurence Dollimore
VALENCIA is preparing for another DANA barely two weeks after the weather phenomenon left more than 200 people dead.
The towns worst hit by the flooding in late October are taking action after they were placed on an orange alert by state weather agency Aemet.
This includes closing schools, creating makeshift dams in ravines and working to unclog blocked sewage networks before the worst of the forecast deluge arrives.
The Emergency Coordination Centre (CEE) of the Generalitat Valenciana has recommended municipalities apply ‘preventive measures with advance notice’ ahead of ‘severe rain’.
Both the north and southern half of Valencia province are on an orange alert for rain on Wednesday, with up to 40mm falling per square metre in an hour, and up to 120mm over 12 hours.
In a special announcement at 12:45pm Tuesday, the CEE warned of the impact of upcoming rainfall, adding that the province of Valencia remains on ’emergency level 2′ due to the devastaton caused by the previous storms.
Towns including Chiva, Aldaia, Sueca and Cullera have already closed schools and cancelled all municipal activities for Wednesday.
Volunteers who had planned to travel to the flood disaster zones have been asked to stay home.
This is to avoid clogging up roads or creating more traffic incidents in cases of flooding. It will also keep the route of emergency vehicles clearer.
In ‘ground zero’ towns like Catarroja, loudspeakers are being used to tell residents to avoid travel in the coming hours and to keep an eye on the sewer system.
In Rafelbunyol, vehicles must be removed from flood zones or streets that receive a large amount of water.
