Manuel del Val, Managing Director at Green Mowers (Civil Engineer)

Burgos, November 13, 2024.- The DANA event in Valencia (Spain) in early November 2024 has caused severe damage to infrastructure, significantly impacting both transportation and public services. The storm resulted in extensive flooding, particularly around Valencia and its surrounding provinces, where the deluge brought road and rail closures, flight cancellations, and dangerous travel conditions. This natural disaster also led to collapsed bridges, eroded embankments, and landslides, which affected both local traffic and national transport lines. For instance, main rail routes were disrupted as tracks and tunnels were submerged or blocked by debris, impacting connections between major cities. Highways experienced closures, and some areas became inaccessible due to washed-out sections of road.

In addition, airports in affected regions saw dozens of flight cancellations and delays as storm conditions persisted, especially in Mallorca, Ibiza, and the Costa del Sol area. Regional emergency services and the army were deployed to assist in evacuating stranded residents and clearing blocked roads and train tracks. Valencia’s urban areas also saw significant structural damage as some residential areas, especially those near rivers or with older drainage systems, were particularly vulnerable. Local authorities are currently assessing the need for further evacuations and repairs to utilities, including water and power systems, which have been compromised due to submersion and storm damage.

The recent DANA storm in Valencia has caused severe infrastructure damage, especially in transportation. 

The high-speed rail line between Madrid and Valencia, along with several commuter lines (C1, C2, and C3), has been rendered unusable due to extensive flooding and damage, including the collapse of tunnels such as those in Chiva and Torrent. Adif, Spain’s railway infrastructure manager, estimates that it will take at least two weeks to restore high-speed service, while repairs on commuter lines may take even longer.

Road infrastructure has also suffered, with over 100 roads impacted. The collapse of a bridge on the A7 (a major ring road around Valencia) has created a critical bottleneck, as this route normally supports around 100,000 vehicles per day. In response, authorities are diverting traffic through alternative routes, including the V30 and V31 ring roads.

Additionally, the storm left approximately 40,000 residents without power and affected phone service for nearly 125,000 people. Telecommunications companies are working to restore services as quickly as possible.

The recent DANA in Valencia has caused severe and widespread damage to various infrastructures and industries in the region. Major effects on transportation networks include extensive rail suspensions. Key commuter lines and even the high-speed rail connection between Valencia and Madrid are projected to be out of service for up to three weeks, mainly due to track flooding and infrastructural damage along essential routes such as the Mediterranean Corridor. This disruption has forced significant delays and cancellations that affect daily commutes and long-distance travel across Spain’s eastern region, putting considerable strain on the local economy and mobility.

In addition, agricultural areas suffered extensive destruction. Thousands of hectares of farmland, particularly citrus and persimmon orchards, were submerged, with severe impacts on the current harvest. Infrastructure vital to farming operations, such as irrigation systems, rural roads, and agricultural buildings, was severely damaged, potentially threatening long-term agricultural productivity. Reports suggest that crop losses could reach nearly total destruction in certain areas due to additional challenges like hail and tornadoes, which compounded the flooding’s impact.