Murcia activates flood emergency plan after torrential rains bring 115 liters to Albujón

Emergency activation and alert warnings

The Regional Government of Murcia activated Level 1 of the Inunmur flood emergency plan during the afternoon of 2 October 2026. The decision followed a red alert for rain and storms issued by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) for Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón, alongside a red hydrological warning from the Segura Hydrographic Confederation. Regional authorities dispatched an ES-Alert notification directly to mobile phones across both districts to warn residents of flood risks. AEMET scheduled the red warning to remain in effect until 17:59, projecting precipitation accumulations of up to 60 liters per square meter within an hour. The weather agency scheduled a downgrade to an orange alert between 18:00 and 19:59, followed by a yellow warning until 23:59 with rainfall expectations of up to 20 liters per square meter per hour.

Rainfall accumulation and waterway monitoring

Heavy precipitation affected the eastern Levante territory throughout Friday, concentrating downpours in the northern sector of Cartagena and surrounding agricultural lowlands. Rain gauges managed by the Segura Hydrographic Confederation measured substantial water accumulations over a six-hour observation window across several monitoring stations. The river mouth of the Rambla del Albujón recorded the highest accumulation at 115 liters, while the station at La Puebla registered 105.2 liters. Gauges recorded 88.4 liters at Pozo Estrecho and 64.2 liters across La Maraña and Balsicas, while municipal authorities reported localized figures reaching around 100 liters in Pozo Estrecho and La Palma. Emergency personnel closely monitored the Rambla del Albujón as water levels surged near Bahía Bella and La Fuensanta, with water reaching capacity thresholds without completely overtopping bank defenses at La Puebla.

Emergency responses and rescue operations

The 1-1-2 Emergency Coordination Centre registered 301 phone calls concerning 222 separate storm-related incidents by 17:45 on Friday. Municipalities logging the highest concentration of emergency calls included Los Alcázares, Murcia, San Javier, and Cartagena. Firefighters and Civil Protection personnel conducted multiple rescue missions to evacuate stranded motorists and passengers from stalled cars and assist in vehicle recovery. Regional authorities confirmed that none of the reported incidents resulted in serious injuries or fatal casualties. Firefighters from the SEIS service attended calls regarding minor water entry into residential properties, with the majority of interventions classified as low severity.

Municipal closures and infrastructure response

Cartagena Mayor Noelia Arroyo monitored road conditions alongside municipal security and infrastructure officials from the municipal security park. Local authorities opened social community centers in Pozo Estrecho and La Palma to accommodate affected residents, while also preparing facilities in La Puebla. Veolia water utility personnel deployed across La Puebla, La Palma, and Pozo Estrecho to clear blocked drainage systems and ease storm runoff. Regional authorities ordered the closure of infant development centers and senior social centers across the red-alert zone, while delaying the return of day-care attendees for the elderly and disabled. Local police closed the Cruce de las Cañas roadway and sections of the N-332 highway near Bahía Bella at 17:00, temporarily severing road connections between Los Urrutias and Los Alcázares.

Arroyo warned motorists against attempting to traverse submerged streets and described municipal clearing operations:

We can become overconfident and think that we can drive through areas with water, and that is not the case. There are pools of water that we are working to clear right now.

Work crews continued removing accumulated reeds and clearing debris from culverts to facilitate rapid drainage through the evening.