Two dead and thousands evacuated as Dana Adam dumps over 600mm of rain on Valencia and Alicante

Unprecedented rainfall exceeding 600mm overnight has left rivers including the Girona and Vernissa overflowing their banks, trapping dozens of residents in their homes - with several forced onto rooftops to await rescue.

Appearing alongside Government Delegate Pilar Bernabé following an emergency Cecopi coordination meeting early on Monday morning, Regional Minister for Emergencies Juan Carlos Valderrama issued an urgent warning to residents along the southern coast of Valencia and northern Alicante.

"People must not travel; they must stay at home. There is heavy, continuous rain, which is causing significant flooding in towns such as Pego, Oliva, Piles, and Miramar," Valderrama said, confirming that "many people are trapped" and that emergency vehicles were initially unable to navigate flooded roadways.

Units from the Third Intervention Battalion of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) deployed from their base in Bétera to assist emergency teams in Oliva. Meanwhile, the Catalan government activated Level 2 emergency protocols.

Rainfall totals shattered regional records over a 24-hour period. Pego (Alicante) recorded 638.5mm and Forna (Atzúbia, Alicante) registered 635.2 mm according to the Valencian Meteorological Association (Avamet). Other exceptional figures included 559.3mm in Villalonga, 537.2mm in Vall d’Ebomm in Real de Gandia, 505.6mm in Barx, 487.3mm in Gandia, 457.4mm in Oliva, 456.8mm in Palma de Gandia, and 435.4mm in Alfauir.

Speaking to Cadena Ser, Oliva Mayor Yolanda Pastor described the situation as "very complicated" and confirmed that around 2,000 people staying at seven local campsites had been evacuated as water inundated the lower, beachside area of the town.

The storm system has already claimed two lives over the weekend. In Cabrera de Mar (Barcelona), rescuers recovered the body of a woman who was swept away by a swollen stream on Saturday. In Sagunto (Valencia), a second woman drowned at Almardà beach on Sunday after entering rough seas alongside a male companion, who managed to reach the shore with extreme difficulty.

Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) is maintaing amber alerts across Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca, and Menorca, with heavy rainfall expected to move northward into Catalonia. Yellow warnings cover all of Andalucía except Huelva, as well as Albacete, Lleida, Murcia, Castellón, Ceuta and Melilla.

Showers and storms will continue, with very heavy or torrential rain in the Valencian Community, the south-eastern coast and the Balearic Islands, where very significant rainfall totals may be recorded within a few hours.

Very strong gusts of wind are also likely in Mallorca. Heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected in Andalucía, Ceuta and Melilla.

Moderate rain is also likely along the Asturian coast, on the plateaus, and in Aragón and Navarre.

In the Canary Islands, skies are expected to be partly cloudy with moderate showers in general, with a likelihood of heavy and persistent showers in El Hierro.

Morning fog patches are likely in the mountains of the north and south of the mainland, and mist is expected in the south-east and the Mediterranean

As for temperatures, maximum temperatures will rise in the east, the central region and the Balearic Islands, and will fall in the rest of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands.

Minimum temperatures will fall across the whole country, with light frosts in the mountains of the northern half. Among the provincial capitals, the minimum temperatures of 2 degrees in Salamanca, León and Ávila are particularly noteworthy.

Winds will be predominantly from the north and east across the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, moderate along the coast and tending to ease, and light elsewhere.

Very strong gusts are likely along the coast of the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands during the first half of the day. In the Canary Islands, the trade winds will be moderate, tending to become light, and of variable direction.