Costa Blanca

Extreme Precautions Recommended Due to High Winds

A warning has been issued as a result of strong winds on the Costa Blanca and inland areas.

The Director General of Fire Prevention for the Valencia region, Rosa Tourís, has reported the CECOPI (Centro de Coordinación Operativo Integrado) has evaluated the monitoring of the meteorological situation resulting in strong winds on the Costa Blanca and inland areas.

Weather Warning for Wind

Tourís has indicated that “the Emergency Coordination Centre has established an orange level wind alert in the southern interior of the province of Valencia and the northern interior of the province of Alicante and a yellow level wind alert in Castellón, the northern interior and the coast of the province of Valencia and the northern coast of Alicante with gusts that can reach up to 90 km/h”.

Extreme Caution Must be Exercised

For this reason, she has pointed out that extreme precautions must be taken, especially in the areas most affected by the floods. “All preventive measures must be taken in all areas where goods are stored and in areas with lots of trees, and the closure of parks and outdoor sports areas is also recommended,” said the CECOPI spokesperson.

“It is advisable, especially for the most vulnerable population, to use an FFP2 mask”

She also stressed the recommendations made by Public Health in the face of suspended dust: “It is advisable, especially for the most vulnerable population, to use an FFP2 mask and to maintain these measures for anyone who has to carry out cleaning tasks or other tasks outdoors in safe conditions.” These recommendations, she insisted, “must be observed as long as the presence of particles in re-suspension in the air is perceived.”

DANA Damage Cleaning Update

Regarding the removal of waste, sludge and vehicles in the municipalities, Tourís has indicated that this operation is maintained at the temporary collection points in the towns of Aldaia, Sedaví, Algemesí, Guadassuar and Alcúdia and that the average removal per day is 15,000 tonnes.

On the other hand, she added that work is being done on the sludge that has accumulated in garages, basements and lift shafts. “The Provincial Council has indicated that the garages in which action will be taken in the coming days have already been registered. According to the records it handles, there are a total of more than 660 locations in basements and garages in the towns of Albal, Catarroja, Alfafar, Massanassa, Paiporta, Picanya, Benetússer and Sedaví,” she said.

The spokesperson has assured that the special group, which includes the different bodies, continues to evaluate the progress of these tasks. Work is continuing in both maritime and land areas, in l’Albufera, where a request has also been made to suspend navigation of boats, the Poyo ravine, Loriguilla and Monserrat, among other areas.

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Costa Blanca

Hiker rescued after sustaining a head injury during a fall

Today, the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium rescued a 77-year-old man who suffered a head injury after sliding while hiking in Collado del Polçet, Cabeçó d’Or, Alicante.

According to the aforementioned agency, the Alpha 01 rescue helicopter and the GER special rescue group were dispatched to the location at approximately 1:38 p.m. upon receiving the alert.

The injured individual was immediately evacuated to the helipad of the Doctor Balmís General Hospital in Alicante by the firefighters after they had located him. The operation concluded at approximately 3:05 p.m.

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Costa Blanca

Police in Alicante seize 1,300 kilos of cocaine from two trucks

Two large vehicles carrying 1,300 kilos of cocaine were intercepted by agents from the Drug and Organised Crime Unit (UDYCO) of the National Police in Alicante. The French Customs and the Central Investigation Office of the Polish Police provided support to the investigation, which was conducted by the Alicante Police Station in collaboration with the Catalonia Headquarters and coordinated by Europol.

According to sources from the investigation, these vehicles were intercepted at a service station in France and in an area near Barcelona after travelling through the province of Alicante. The operation has led to the interception of over one tonne of narcotics that were intended for several European countries.

The events occurred on March 16th when French authorities discovered a large vehicle with Polish registration at a service station in France, en route to Lyon. 800 kilogrammes of cocaine were discovered concealed within aluminium materials during the inspection of this vehicle. The coordination mechanisms between countries were immediately activated through Europol, and the driver was arrested for an alleged offence against public health.

Cooperation was established with the Central Investigation Office of the Police, specifically with the department in Rzeszów, following the discovery of the first vehicle. This collaboration resulted in the discovery of a second truck near Barcelona.

The National Police discovered an additional 500 kilogrammes of cocaine, this time concealed among porcelain construction materials, as a result of their collaboration with the Polish side. The National Police’s Special Security Operations Group (GOES) provided assistance to the investigators in the transportation of the narcotics.

Currently, the investigation is ongoing, and Europol is coordinating efforts between Spain, France, and Poland to dismantle the criminal organisation that is dedicated to high-level drug trafficking.

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Costa Blanca

Man arrested in Benidorm for exploiting unauthorised immigrants

The National Police arrested a man in Benidorm on suspicion of violating workers’ rights. The suspect hired undocumented immigrants for construction jobs and then threatened to alert authorities about their condition in order to exploit them.

The police inquiry began after they received information about the potential hiring of illegal immigrants in construction. Following early enquiries, it was determined that numerous nationals were working on a villa construction site in Benidorm, the majority of them without work or residency permits. Apparently, the employer who recruited the workers did not pay them and threatened to denounce them for unlawful employment.

Thus, the investigators’ initial steps concentrated on ascertaining the workers’ working circumstances and validating the identity of the person in charge of the hiring.

During surveillance by National Police personnel, it was discovered that a total of 15 people worked on the building site, ten of them were illegal. The primary person in charge of the project was also recognised.

The main suspect’s tactic consisted of continuing to hire persons who were in Spain illegally to work on the construction site, threatening to report them for their irregular status if they sought a salary.

Once the suspect’s illicit activity was proven, he was arrested for allegedly violating workers’ rights.

At the time of the arrest, an investigation of the construction site discovered a lack of needed safety equipment. Seven workers were found as working without proper personal protective equipment, putting their physical safety at risk.

Investigators also discovered that the building lacked the required building permit, indicating that it was not authorised to carry out the activity.

The detainee was taken before the Benidorm Investigating Court.