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ARCHIVED - Torrential rain causes widespread chaos as the Region of Murcia remains on yellow alert
Emergency services in Murcia have dealt with 39 weather-related incidents already today (Wednesday March 23)
The Region of Murcia continues to be pummelled by torrential rain and remains on yellow alert for downpours that are expected to leave up to 100 l/m2 of rainfall in just 12 hours.
By lunchtime today, Wednesday March 23, the Region of Murcia's Emergency Coordination Centre had already responded to 39 weather-related calls for assistance, most of which involved trees and other objects falling onto the road.
There have been no reports of injuries as of yet, but the relentless lashing has caused widespread damage and chaos and several regional roads remain closed to traffic due to water accumulation or landslides.
These include: the slope of the Cedacero La Azohía-Cartagena; El Mojón road in San Pedro del Pinatar, and La Puebla in Mula.
The most affected municipality has been Murcia, with 14 incidents, followed by Lorca and Cartagena.
Also read: In Lorca, it is raining... bricks and mud
In the latter, roads are still closed to traffic: the RM-22 regional highway that connects Cartagena with Isla Plana and La Azohía is cut off at kilometer 9.8 on the Cuestas del Cedacer (pictured); the Sifón road, which runs from the Las Tejeras petrol station to the Santa Ana deputation, in the northern area; and the Pozo de los Palos road, between Molinos Marfagones and La Guía.
Ravines are overflowing in Águilas, and in Las Culebras, the local police have closed off traffic at the mouth at Las Delicias beach.
In Lorca, part of a roof has been blown off in Calle Alburquerque, and in Murcia city, a tree has fallen next to the Palacio Príncipe de Asturias.
Meanwhile, in Mazarrón, Calle Doctor Meca was closed to traffic after a tree was blown over and in Moratalla a driver had to be rescued after his car got caught in the middle of a flooded river.
Landslides have also forced the closure of roads linking Alhama with its districts, Cañadas and the RM 515 linking Alhama with Gebas and El Berro. The General Directorate of Roads has been busy clearing these roads this afternoon.
A measure of the intensity of the rainfall is the fact the Algeciras river near the hamlet of El Berro has overflowed its banks for the first time in 20 years.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) is now warning that the rain may leave up to 100 l/m2 of water in specific areas of the Vega del Segura, Valle del Guadalentín, Lorca and Águilas.
Elsewhere, up to 60 mm of rainfall is expected to fall in 12 hours in Noroeste, Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón and the Aemet weather warning will remain active until midnight.
Sierra Espuña is one of the other areas of the Region of Murcia that has accumulated the greatest amount of rainfall, according to data recorded by the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS).
Specifically, the Collado Bermejo rainfall station, in the municipalities of Alhama de Murcia and Totana, has recorded 38 l/m2, followed by 36.2 l/m2 in Pinar Hermoso in Bullas, and 34.2 in Sierra Espuña, Mula.
Image 1: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena
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