Spain – Floods in Catalonia and Valencia, Policeman Dies in Flood Rescue in Benissa

by in Europe, News

Stormy weather including heavy rain affected the regions of Catalonia and Valencia in eastern Spain from 16 September 2022.

Floods in Castellon Province, Valencia Region, Spain, 17 September 2022. Photo: Provincial de Bombers de Castelló

According to the Meteorological Service of Catalonia, 90 mm of rain fell in the Port of Mataró area in 60 minutes on 16 September.

Emergency services received a total of 197 calls for 138 incidents during the storm, mostly in Mataró, Pineda de Mar and Calella in Maresme comarca. Around 28 calls were received for incidents in Selva comarca.

Civil Protection in Catalonia reported one person was injured after his vehicle was submerged in a flooded underpass in Mataró in the province of Barcelona on 16 September. The man was unresponsive when teams from the Fire Department and local police managed to pull him from the vehicles. He was given emergency medical treatment and transferred to Mataró hospital.

Stormy weather also affected parts of the Valencia Region from 17 September. Flooding was reported in Oropesa del Mar, Cabanes and Torreblanca, in the province of Castellón; and in Benissa and Callosa d’En Sarrià in Alicante Province.

In 12 hours, Oropesa del Mar recorded 144.4 mm of rain; Benissa 139.0 mm; Torreblanca 138.8 mm; and Callosa d’en Sarrià 132.0 mm.

Emergency services in Valencia Region received 265 calls and responded to 90 incidents. Firefighters in Castellón Province rescued people from at least 6 vehicles trapped in flood waters. Dozens of people were evacuated from the flooded campsites of Ribera Mar and Bravo Playa in Cabanes.

A police officer died in tragic circumstance trying to rescue a driver swept away in flood waters in Benissa.

In a statement, Ximo Puig, President of the Valencian Government, said “I want to convey my condolences to the family and friends of the policeman, who tried to save a man in an act of great generosity.”

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