A severe storm struck Alcoy, toppling trees and damaging buildings. Winds reached 132 km/h, causing major disruption. Emergency services responded to dozens of incidents. No injuries reported.
Alcoy was left reeling on Thursday evening after a violent storm swept through the city, unleashing wind gusts of up to 132 km/h and causing extensive material damage across multiple neighborhoods. In just over an hour, the city’s streets were littered with fallen trees, scattered debris, and overturned containers, while emergency services scrambled to respond to a surge in incidents.
According to data from the Pas de Benisaidó weather station, the storm’s peak intensity uprooted at least 30 trees and broke hundreds of branches, many of which blocked roads and sidewalks. Solar panels and roofing materials were torn from buildings, and significant structural damage was reported in several areas. At least ten parked vehicles sustained damage, some struck by falling trees, including on Ingeniero Colomina Raduán street in the Zona Norte district.
Rainfall was also intense, with the ACIF station at Font Roja recording 42 liters per square meter in just one hour. Other parts of the city saw between 18 and 23 liters per square meter, leading to localized flooding and further complicating the work of emergency crews. The Consorcio Provincial de Bomberos reported 29 interventions across the province, with Alcoy accounting for 21 of them. Firefighters and municipal teams worked continuously to clear debris, secure damaged structures, and restore essential services after power and internet outages affected parts of the city.
Municipal authorities had anticipated the risk, activating the CECOPAL (Centro de Coordinación Operativa Local) earlier in the day after AEMET issued an orange alert. As a precaution, the city council ordered the closure of all sports facilities, municipal pools, and parks. Residents were urged to avoid unnecessary travel and to remain vigilant as the storm approached. The city’s bus service was suspended during the worst of the weather and only resumed gradually three hours later.
Elsewhere in the region, heavy rainfall was recorded in El Comtat and L'Alcoià, with stations in Cocentaina, Muro, Ibi, Banyeres de Mariola, and Onil reporting between 13.6 and 33.4 liters per square meter. The storm’s rapid onset and intensity echoed recent extreme weather events in Spain, such as the wildfires that forced mass evacuations in Segovia and Castellón, as detailed in this report on emergency evacuations during wildfires.
Despite the scale of destruction, no injuries were reported. City officials continue to advise residents to follow updates through official channels and to use the 112 emergency number only for real emergencies until conditions stabilize. The incident highlights the growing impact of severe weather on urban infrastructure in Spain, with local authorities underlining the importance of preparedness and rapid response in minimizing risks to the population.
Spain has seen a rise in extreme weather incidents in recent years, with storms, floods, and wildfires increasingly affecting both urban and rural areas. The AEMET regularly issues weather alerts to help municipalities prepare for such events, and local emergency protocols like CECOPAL are now standard practice in many regions. Alcoy’s experience underscores the need for ongoing investment in resilient infrastructure and coordinated emergency planning as climate patterns continue to shift.
