Lorca braces for orange alert as heavy storms head towards the region

Local council mobilises emergency teams ahead of Friday's forecast of up to 40 litres of rain an hour

Lorca's streets could see some serious water this Friday 2 October, with an orange weather warning in place across the Guadalentín Valley, Lorca and Águilas from 10am to 8pm. Aemet is forecasting rainfall of up to 40 litres per square metre in just an hour, enough to prompt the Ayuntamiento into action well before the first drop falls.

Mayor Fulgencio Gil chaired a coordination meeting bringing together Emergencies, Policía Local, Education, the electricity service, Limusa, Aguas de Lorca, Social Services and the Inunlor advisory council, all working through a plan to keep residents safe. Extra police and emergency personnel will be on duty throughout the day, with particular focus on areas most likely to flood or where sudden flash flooding could catch people out.

"The most important thing is safety," Gil said. "We ask for maximum caution, to avoid unnecessary travel by vehicle, to not approach the riverbeds and ravines of the municipality under any circumstances and to stay informed through official channels."

The council expects the heaviest rain to fall between midday and 6pm, so that window will see the most intensive monitoring. Outdoor sports facilities are set to close as a precaution, with Las Alamedas and the town's parks and gardens also potentially shutting if conditions worsen through the day.

Preparation has already been underway behind the scenes. Gil pointed out that municipal teams have cleaned and maintained drains and water evacuation systems across the urban area, along with the stretches of riverbed that fall under local responsibility. "Municipal services have carried out the work that corresponds to us to prepare the municipality for the rains," he said, adding that it's still essential for residents to take precautions and follow instructions from emergency teams.

There's a sharper note of frustration too, with the Ayuntamiento highlighting that certain ravines and flood prone areas haven't been cleaned by the Ministry in eight years, a gap residents are being urged to bear in mind when deciding whether a journey is really necessary.

Anyone who does need to travel is being told to slow down, avoid crossing flooded fords or waterlogged roads and steer well clear of parking near riverbeds, ravines or low lying areas. Updates will come via the council's official channels, Aemet and the Region of Murcia's 112 emergency service, with 112 the number to call if things take a turn for the worse.

Expect cloudy skies with locally heavy, or even very heavy, showers and thunderstorms through the day, alongside falling temperatures, especially at the top end. Winds will stay light and variable inland, though the coast could see moderate, occasionally strong, easterly gusts.

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Images: Aemet