Severe thunderstorms brought exceptionally high rainfall totals to parts of the province of Valencia on 16 September. In Paiporta and Aldaia around 60 litres per square metre fell in each place in one hour. In Torrent rainfall totals reached just under 96 litres per square metre, of which, according to the Associació Valenciana de Meteorologia around 71 litres fell within 30 minutes. The regional weather warnings from AEMET remained in force for the coast.
In Paiporta, the water level in the Barranco de Paiporta rose significantly. The fire service and municipal authorities monitored its course, but initially reported no overflow or serious incidents. Despite the intense rainfall, no serious damage was initially reported from Aldaia either. In Torrent, however, streets were flooded in some areas and water entered individual buildings; traffic was temporarily disrupted and emergency responders were working continuously.
The storm cells affected the municipalities very differently. Monitoring networks recorded extreme intensities over short periods, which experts classified as significantly above the torrential range. Incident commanders focused on monitoring barrancos, underpasses and key road sections, as well as quickly informing the public. No official damage assessments were available by the evening; reliable statements on the extent and cost will only be possible once the authorities issue their situation reports.
The events brought back memories in the region of the DANA of October 2024, when an isolated upper-level low caused Comunidad Valenciana severe flooding and hit Paiporta particularly hard. From the municipalities’ perspective, two points follow: first, continuous monitoring of drainage channels, barrancos and storm drains remains essential to detect sudden rises in water levels. Second, warning chains, road closure plans and possible evacuations should be practised regularly and communicated publicly, to prepare for similarly rapid developments.
For the coming days, the key question is whether further storm cells will form along the coast. Forecasts point to continued unstable air masses; however, the precise distribution of rainfall remains uncertain. Authorities urged people to follow official advice, avoid underpasses during heavy rain and not to park vehicles in dips or near drainage channels. Unless new rainfall maxima are reported, the event is considered a localised, albeit very intense, downpour with isolated flooding, rather than a widespread emergency.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).