PANIC SETS IN AS WATER SHORTAGE HITS SPAIN DUE TO STORM GLORIA

 

It is understood that local shopkeepers and supermarkets have started to limit bottled water to customers as supplies are low and trucks and lorries face a massive struggle to get into the towns and villages. The storm has affected such a wide area that it is not known when or even if things will get back to some sort of normality.

 

Earlier on Monday, the situation of rivers and waterways led the authorities to issue flood warnings, while some schools staying closed, some isolated settlements and roads remained cut off, and dozens of people who had been evacuated waited for the all clear so that they could return to their homes.

 

Roads closed, bridges down, problems with water supply, everything is failing…

Some 20 roads were partially or totally closed at 8am this morning, including AP-7 northbound at Hostalric. Along with other towns, Hostalric has had most of its road links with neighbouring villages closed, and the local council asked the public to stay indoors after qualifying the situation as “quite critical.” Most parts of the town have no power, and the whole municipality was without water or gas this morning. 

300 mm of rainfall

The storm has left some 300 mm of rainfall in central, northern and southern parts of the country over the past four days, including 315 mm in Arbúcies (La Selva county), 303 mm in Puig Sesolles (Vallès Oriental), and 284 mm in Horta de Sant Joan (Terra Alta), as of 10am on Wednesday.

From Sunday until 11am on Wednesday, the emergency services phone number, 112, received 11,943 calls related to the storm – the authorities have reminded the public that this phone number is for emergencies only, with 012 being the number to request information.