The authorities of Valencia have decided to temporarily suspend classes in schools if weather forecasters issue a red weather alert. In the case of an orange alert, classes will be canceled in areas at risk of flooding, as well as in suburbs that were affected by heavy rains at the end of October last year.
The municipal Civil Protection Council approved these changes at a special meeting dedicated to preparations for possible autumn rainstorms. The new rules expand the existing regional regulations: now, under an orange alert, classes will be canceled not only in officially recognized risk zones but also in those suburbs that were not previously included in special flood prevention plans.
The list of affected educational institutions includes seven schools located in potentially dangerous areas of the city, as well as twelve more institutions in the suburbs of Castellar-l’Oliveral, La Torre, and Forn d’Alcedo. Decisions to suspend classes will be made in advance so that parents and school administrations have time to prepare. If an alert is issued after children have already arrived at school, the situation will be assessed on site to determine whether to continue classes or arrange an early dismissal.
In other schools across the city, staff will closely monitor the weather and make decisions based on the specific situation. The new measures apply to all educational institutions, including private and public-private schools, if they are located in flood-prone areas. If necessary, classes will be canceled automatically after the appropriate notification.
The municipality also plans to improve public awareness through the “València + Segura” (València + Safety) program and to introduce a targeted alert system for different types of schools depending on the threat level. As a pilot project, a special warning tower will be installed in the suburb of La Torre to quickly alert residents of potential danger through sound signals.
After the events of October last year, when some suburbs were not marked on risk maps, city authorities commissioned additional studies to more accurately assess the flood threat. These measures are expected to improve student safety and allow for a faster response to extreme weather events.
