Laurence Dollimore
RESIDENTS in Ibiza have been warned to avoid all unnecessary travel and to secure their possessions ahead of a deluge of rain and winds of up to 70km/hr.
The Balearic Island, alongside Formentera, is currently on an orange alert for heavy rain which will remain in place until 12 noon on Wednesday.
According to state weather agency Aemet, up to 40 litres of rain per square metre could fall in an hour, reaching 100 litres within 12 hours.
The adverse weather is being caused by a so-called DANA, a high isolated area of depression which caused the deadly floods in Valenica last month.
Aemet’s Balearic spokeswoman Maria Jose Guerrero advised people to ‘take extra caution’.
She said: “The more activities that can be left for another day, the better. Unnecessary travel should be avoided.
“It is advisable to postpone everything that is possible.”
She added that ‘the fewer people on the road the better’, while recommending that people ‘secure their material goods’, especially if they are outdoors and at risk of being blown away.
An orange alert means there is ‘significant risk’ to life and is activated by Aemet when there is more than 40 litres of rain expected.
The most severe red alert, which means there is an ‘extreme risk’ to life, is activated when 90 litres are predicted per square metre in an hour.
