CASTELLON Province suffered a freak storm this week that caused severe flooding and triggered hailstone warnings in many areas.
Peñiscola was the worst hit, witnessing a deluge in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday August 25) that left up to 60 litres of rainfall per square metre in just 40 minutes.
Streets turned into rivers while the emergency services were called out to deal with flooded basements, garages and ground floors.
Although the storm did not affect the whole town equally, residents in the worst-hit areas shared videos and photos on social media platforms, denouncing the lack of adequate drainage to deal with such intense downpours – and which are predicted to become increasingly worse due to climate change.
But the yellow alert for heavy rains in the north of Castellon not only came true in Peñiscola, as Calig registered 50 litres per square metre and Benicarlo 28.4.
The weather warning remained in place today, with strong winds and possibly hailstones predicted for this afternoon and evening.
Residents are advised to be extra careful when driving and to check the State weather agency Aemet websitewww.aemet.es for updates and alerts.
In other weather-related news, four small fires broke out in rural areas due to bolts of lightning yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon – two in Castellon Province and two in Valencia.
Aerial and terrestrial detachments of fire-fighters managed to extinguish the blazes quickly before they could cause any major damage.