AS Storm Alice leaves behind a trail of destruction across eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands, shocking footage has shown cars floating through city streets, motorways turning into rivers and drivers trapped in rising torrents.
Emergency services say many of these situations could have been avoided – and knowing how to react in the crucial first moments can mean the difference between survival and tragedy.
Spain’s Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) and firefighters across the country have repeated the same warning: never underestimate the power of moving water.
Just 15 to 25 centimetres of fast-flowing water can knock a person off their feet, while 40 centimetres can carry away a small car.
Once it reaches 60 centimetres, even a 4×4 will lose grip and begin to float.
While still at 30 centimetres, a car will cling to the ground. At 45, its tyres lose traction and the current begins to push it sideways.
By 75 centimetres, the vehicle’s weight is no longer enough to hold it down – it will lift, pivot, and be swept away.
READ MORE: Storm Alice causes chaos for tourists across Spain’s Mediterranean coast
Footage from Murcia in May 2023 showing a car turning a corner in only a few centimetres of water — and just 30 metres later being engulfed by a torrent.
Firefighter and rescue educator Adrián from the Sevilla bomberos explains that most fatalities occur when people try to cross flooded roads or underestimate shallow water.
“Even if the surface looks calm, the current beneath can be deadly,” he warns.
So what should you do if Storm Alice – or any future DANA – catches you behind the wheel?
If the car stalls but the water is still shallow and calm, call 112 immediately, explain your location, and stay put. Do not try to restart the engine. If you can’t call, signal for help and wait.
If the current is strong but the car isn’t yet moving, exit through the window on the side opposite to where the water is pressing.
Opening the door will flood the cabin instantly. Climb onto the roof and make yourself visible to rescuers.
If the vehicle starts drifting with the current, you must consider abandoning it.
Jump with the flow, not against it, and swim diagonally towards higher or solid ground – walls, trees or embankments. Fighting the current will exhaust you and reduce your chances of escape.
For pedestrians; never walk through floodwater. Covers from drains and manholes can be lifted by pressure, leaving invisible traps beneath the muddy surface.
Flash floods, known in Spain as riadas repentinas, are among the most dangerous effects of Mediterranean storms like Alice.
They form quickly, strike without warning and can transform familiar streets into deadly rivers in minutes.
If in doubt, don’t risk it. Turn around, climb higher and wait for the water to fall.
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