The Generalitat’s Emergency Coordination Centre has issued a red alert for heavy rain, so towns in the province of Alicante, including the capital Elche, Torrevieja, El Campello, and Dolores, have cancelled all municipal activities, sporting events, and other events for this Friday.
Local councils have done several things to stop people from moving around, like telling them not to travel unless they really have to.
The southern coast of Alicante is on red alert for rain since the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) says that in twelve hours, the rain might be more than 180 litres per square metre (l/m2).
The Alicante City Council has suspended all activities in municipal facilities and services, rescheduling the State of the City Debate to Monday. The following facilities are also closed: libraries, museums, the SAIC citizen service centre, social centres, senior citizen centres, sociocultural centres, Santa Bárbara Castle, sports facilities and complexes, parks, and gardens.
The Elche City Council has also issued a decree that stops many events, such as teaching at all public and private schools in Elche, the OASIS Festival, the Camp d’Elx Fireta, and outdoor activities.
Elche will also close parks, gardens, and sports facilities; cancel all street markets in the city; cancel all events planned for public areas; and cancel the Extraordinary Plenary Session of the Municipal Council and all in-person municipal services.
Elche municipal workers should not go back to work, except for those who work in essential services, security, or emergencies. All activities in municipalities, like libraries, museums, study halls, and social centres, are also on hold.
Bus service to rural areas is also stopped, as it is suggested that people only move around for important purposes.
The council has ordered the closure of El Campello’s public parks, the municipal cemetery, the outdoor sports courts, the municipal sports hall, and the El Vincle sports centre, as well as the town hall itself.
During the red alert period, individuals must not stay in any unfenced, outdoor municipal space or facility available to the public.
Furthermore, the El Barranquet Social Centre building and the Police Headquarters will be open only for particular conditions relating to the pre-emergency situation.
El Campello also stops public events involving many people, including concerts, sports events, cultural or religious events, or parties, both inside and outside. Swimming and water sports are prohibited on the municipality’s beaches and coves.
It is also against the law to use or be in temporary structures like tents or jaimas set up on public highways during the Moors and Christians event.
The order says that private businesses that care for vulnerable people (such kids, the elderly, or others who need help) should take extreme measures to keep their clients safe by not letting them travel. For private enterprises that are accessible to the public and where private activities take place, it is suggested that during the workday, “they should avoid, as much as possible, the travel of their employees to their workplace and take extreme measures to protect their users.”
Torrevieja City Council has decided to cancel the weekly Friday market in Antonio Soria Park, close all outdoor activities, close all sports activities, close all cultural activities planned at the Municipal Theatre, the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre, and the Torrevieja International Auditorium, and close all activities at the Municipal Conservatory.
The council has also resolved to stop school activities in all other centres, like nurseries and childcare centres, even though this Friday was not a school day in Torrevieja, according to the municipal school calendar.
Torrevieja City Council has also opened the Tavi y Carmona Sports Centre as a place for homeless individuals to stay from 8:00 p.m. this Thursday to 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, if the weather is good.
Dolores has also stopped all outside activities and closed all of its parks, gardens, and sports facilities. The Friday market has also been put on hold.
The Red Cross has sent out several basic emergency response teams to different parts of the province since this afternoon because of the storm. For example, in areas like Elche and Crevillent, volunteer groups are already working to help homeless individuals by giving them information about risks and emergency humanitarian aid.
The humanitarian group is also helping the Cecopal (National Emergency Fund) in a number of towns in the province to “give its emergency resources to municipalities that need this help.”
Author: Derek Appleton
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