Spain: Fire near Valencia and flash floods in Catalonia simultaneously

Eastern Spain was hit on two fronts on Saturday: a forest fire forced the evacuation of a thousand people near Valencia, while torrential rains wreaked havoc on the Costa Dorada, less than 150 kilometers away.

The fire broke out Thursday evening, likely caused by lightning, near Gatova, a village of 450 inhabitants northwest of Valencia. The flames spread toward inhabited areas, consuming more than 400 hectares by the end of the day on Friday. The Spanish Military Emergency Unit (UME) released images of its firefighters battling the blaze in the darkness, supported by several helicopters and water-bombing aircraft.

Juan Carlos Valderrama, the Valencian Civil Protection Minister, indicated that buses were being deployed to allow residents without vehicles to leave their homes. In total, approximately one thousand people were evacuated.

Less than 150 kilometers to the north, the Costa Dorada experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall overnight from Friday to Saturday. The Catalan Meteorological Service recorded nearly 200 liters per square meter in just a few hours across several municipalities. Streets in the coastal towns of El Vendrell, Coma-ruga, and Torredembarra were partially flooded.

Rescue teams carried out more than 200 missions to free people trapped in their vehicles or in flooded buildings. The collapse of a wall at the port of Roda de Berra, about 75 kilometers southwest of Barcelona, ​​injured three people. Another wall collapsed at a nearby campsite, injuring two more. The approximately 300 vacationers at the site were evacuated and taken to a nearby sports center. In total, at least seven people were injured in the floods, according to authorities.

These events are taking place against a backdrop of forest fires that have been ravaging Europe since the beginning of summer, fueled by record temperatures along the Mediterranean basin. Data from the European Union indicates that more than 297,000 hectares have burned in Spain since the start of the season.