Zaragoza preparing for worst Ebro flooding in history

Zaragoza preparing for worst Ebro flooding in history

Jorge Azcon, the mayor of Zaragoza, warned today, Monday, December 13, that the looming Ebro flood could well be worse than that of 2015. After holding a meeting at the emergency coordination centre, he held a press conference. The mayor announced that flooding is expected to reach the city tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday 14, and is being predicted to last for 48 hours.

In 2015, the flow of the Ebro – which caused widespread flooding – was calculated at 2,400m³ per second, and reached around six metres in height. The Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE), is forecasting the possibility of Tuesday’s flow reaching between 2,200 and 2,500m³ per second. A height from 5.8 to 6.2 metres could be achieved over a 48 hour period it added.

Mr Azcon was quick to point out that these are forecasts that continuously change, while praising the emergency work that is being carried out in advance by the city’s municipal workers.

The treatment plant in the La Almozara district, which flooded back in 2015, will be closed. It has already been verified that a water flow of 1,800 m³ per second has entered several points.

In the rural neighborhood of Alfocea, even with a lower water flow, the road that connects with the other rural neighborhood of Monzalbarba has had to be cut. Members of the Pontoneros Regiment are working to enable an alternative passage through St Gregory.

A report from the municipal services of Zaragoza City Council has warned that conditions can be worse than 2015. The mayor pointed out that they have “verified that contentions are already being overcome, despite having a lower flow than in 2015”.

As a result, over the weekend, the urbanisations of Torre Urzaiz, and the rural neighborhood of Alfocea, along with urbanised areas of Caseton and Torre Villarroya in the rural neighborhood of Movera, were all evacuated.

“The forecast with which the City Council has acted has been much greater than in previous floods, and decisions have been made 24 hours in advance”, announced Azcon. “The eviction of Alfocea was not sure, but thank goodness it was done, as with the Torre Urzaiz urbanisation, because it has been affected earlier than in 2015”, he added, as reported by 20minutos.es.

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