Heavy rain disrupted air and road links on Ibiza. Five flights were diverted shortly after 10am, two arrivals were cancelled, and the AEMET red warning remains in force until 2pm.
Sant Jordi had recorded 69 litres of rain per square metre as intense downpours flooded streets and disrupted transport on Ibiza. The storm was linked to DANA Adam, which brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Ibiza and Formentera. In some areas, forecasts called for up to 130 litres per square metre in five hours. Island-wide totals could reach 160mm in 12 hours, with more than 300mm forecast over 24 hours. Five flights were diverted shortly after 10am, two arrivals were cancelled, and the AEMET red alert was due to remain in force until 2pm.
The diverted flights had been coming from Bristol and Brussels. Others were arriving from Berlin and Eindhoven, while the fifth came from Madrid. Arrivals from London and Palma were cancelled.
Road access to Ibiza airport was cut in both directions near the tunnels at Platja d'en Bossa. The Consell de Ibiza announced the closure at 10.38am, saying flooding had made the road impassable. The stretch is regularly affected by heavy rainfall.
In Ibiza city, the Ayuntamiento reported intermittent closures on the first ring road near Can Misses. Traffic was also stopped at the Podencos roundabout and on Avenida Santa Eulària. Flooding affected Sant Jordi and Platja d'en Bossa. Central Ibiza was affected too. Residents were asked to avoid unnecessary journeys and drive carefully if travel was essential.
Rainfall totals had also reached 61 litres per square metre in Ibiza city and 63 in Sant Rafel. By the end of the day, AEMET stations had recorded 117.3 litres per square metre at Es Codolar airport and 117.8 on Formentera. On the morning of 18 October, AEMET raised the warning for Ibiza and Formentera from orange to red, citing the possibility of 90 litres per square metre in one hour between 10am and 1.59pm. The red warning was due to end at 2pm. An orange warning for rain and thunderstorms was expected to continue until 2pm on 19 October, alongside a warning for coastal conditions.
At 11.21am, Protección Civil sent an ES-Alert to mobile phones on Ibiza and Formentera, warning of an immediate risk of flooding. A second alert, sent at 11.46am, called for outdoor sports events to be suspended. It also called for social and cultural events to stop. Residents were advised to stay away from flood-prone areas and waterways. They were also told to avoid unnecessary journeys.
The Govern sent a public alert about the heavy precipitation, while AEMET kept its red warning in force until 2pm. The Meteobal technical advisory committee was due to assess the situation and the level of emergency readiness that day. The wider weather system also affected Valencia and Alicante.
