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Heavy rainfall caused major transport disruptions on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza on Saturday, marking the second flooding event in two weeks in the Mediterranean region.
The downpours forced the closure of the main motorway to the airport, where social media footage showed water seeping into the terminal, and briefly halted all public transport.
Ibiza airport suspended operations for more than an hour while crews cleared the runway, resulting in the cancellation of 24 of 295 flights, according to airport operator Aena.
On nearby Mallorca, 19 of 942 scheduled flights were also cancelled. Videos circulating on social media showed vehicles struggling through murky floodwaters on Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera, with some drivers needing rescue.
Reinforcements from Spain’s army emergency unit were deployed from the mainland to assist with water pumping operations.
Residents across Ibiza, Formentera and Mallorca received mass alerts advising against unnecessary travel and access to waterways.
A lightning strike in Formentera cut power to 576 users after hitting an electrical cable, while around 300 more across Menorca, Ibiza and Mallorca were also affected, the Balearic regional government reported.
Authorities in the Valencia region warned of further “intense rain and localised storms” from 8:00 pm (18:00 GMT), noting that 571 incidents had already been reported since the start of the weather alert earlier this week.
In Carcaixent, the storm dumped 110 litres of rain per square metre in just one hour, flooding streets rapidly, according to regional weather monitor Avamet.
Late September’s downpours had already caused localised flooding and the closure of beaches and schools in Ibiza and Valencia, recalling last year’s devastating floods that claimed over 200 lives.
Experts note that climate change, by increasing water evaporation from a warming Mediterranean Sea, heightens the risk and severity of flooding from extreme rainfall in the region.
