Spain Issues Red Alert as Torrential Rains Flood Ibiza, Formentera

Xander MacIntyre

On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, AEMET threw down a rare red alert across the Balearic Islands and parts of eastern Spain after the remnants of Hurricane Gabrielle slammed the Mediterranean. The warning—reserved for "extraordinary danger"—covered the island hotspots of Ibiza and Formentera, as well as the coastal provinces of Tarragona and Valencia on the mainland.

Scope of the Red Alert

What made this alert so unusual? Spain’s national weather service rarely reaches the red tier; the last time it did on the Balearics was during the catastrophic October 2024 Valencia floods that claimed more than 230 lives. This time, AEMET’s models projected more than 200 mm of rain in twelve‑hour bursts, enough to overwhelm drainage systems that, even in summer, are designed for Mediterranean downpours.

• Ibiza recorded 239 mm of rainfall in a 24‑hour span, with the island’s airport logging 168.3 mm in the same period.
• Formentera saw 105.4 mm in 24 hours, but more than 180 mm fell within a single 12‑hour window.
• Eastern mainland sites, from southern Tarragona up through northern Valencia, were forecast to receive 200‑250 litres per square metre.

These numbers are not just statistics; they translate into water rushing through narrow lanes, collapsing retaining walls, and turning streets into rivers.

On‑the‑Ground Impact in Ibiza and Formentera

By late afternoon, the situation turned chaotic. Firefighters rushed to a beachfront hotel in Ibiza after a sudden rockfall knocked out a balcony, trapping four guests. The crew managed to hoist the victims to safety, but the incident forced the evacuation of roughly 220 tourists and left three people with minor injuries.

Local authorities logged 179 distinct incidents on Ibiza alone—everything from flooded ground‑floor apartments to fallen trees snapping power lines. Formentera, though smaller, reported six emergencies, most of which involved road closures and riverbank overtopping.

Schools across both islands were shuttered for the remainder of the day, and medical appointments were cancelled to free up emergency services. The regional government sent mass civil‑protection alerts to every mobile phone, urging residents to stay indoors, avoid travel, and move to higher ground if water breached their doors.

Mainland Flood Threats

Meanwhile, on the peninsula, the Valencian Regional Emergency Center issued an ES‑alert at 15:28 UTC, warning of “potential flooding along the northern Castellón coast and Valencia shoreline.” In the Ebro delta, an estimated 160‑200 mm of rain fell within six to eight hours, turning fertile fields into temporary lakes.

Roads between Tarragona and Valencia were temporarily closed, and authorities urged drivers to steer clear of low‑lying routes. Residents of the Tarragona province, along with those in Castellón and Valencia, received the same “extraordinary danger” designation that had gripped the islands.

The mainland alerts were downgraded to yellow a day later, but not before schools in the hardest‑hit municipalities halted lessons and public transport scrambled to adjust schedules.

Emergency Response and Military Deployment

Spain didn’t leave the rescue efforts to local fire crews alone. The Spanish military emergency unit (UME) was dispatched from mainland bases, with additional troops arriving from Majorca and Valencia. Their mandate: bolster sandbagging operations, reinforce riverbanks, and provide logistical support to stranded tourists.

“We have the capacity to move quickly and bring essential supplies where civilian services are overwhelmed,” said Lieutenant Colonel Javier López, a spokesperson for UME, during a briefing on Wednesday morning. “Our priority is to keep people safe and to restore critical infrastructure as fast as possible.”

By the evening of Tuesday, the red alerts on the islands were lifted at 16:00 local time, but the military presence remained until flood waters receded and damage assessments were complete.

Why the Alerts Matter: Lessons from 2024

The memory of last year’s Valencia floods is still fresh in the public consciousness. Back then, a combination of stalled storm systems and insufficient early warning left dozens dead and hundreds homeless. This time, AEMET’s rapid issuance of red alerts, combined with coordinated civil‑protection messaging, appears to have saved lives.

Experts say that climate models predict an increase in the frequency of Mediterranean storms that retain tropical characteristics, like Hurricane Gabrielle. Dr. Elena Martínez, a climatologist at the University of Barcelona, explained, “We’re seeing a shift toward more intense, short‑duration rain events. The infrastructure built in the 1970s‑1990s simply wasn’t designed for this new reality.”

Local businesses, especially those dependent on tourism, are already bracing for a short‑term dip. Hotel owners on Ibiza reported a 15 % drop in bookings for the following week, but many expressed relief that the quick evacuation avoided any tragic headlines.

Authorities say they will keep monitoring the storm system as it drifts eastward toward the Balearic Sea. Forecasts suggest that the next pulse of rain could hit the islands again early next week, albeit at a lower intensity.

Key Facts

• Date of red alert: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
• Rainfall totals: 239 mm (Ibiza), 105.4 mm (Formentera), up to 250 mm forecast on mainland
• Emergency responders: Local fire services + Spanish military emergency unit (UME)
• Evacuations: ~220 tourists from an Ibiza hotel; schools closed on both islands
• Historical context: Alerts echo the deadly October 2024 Valencia floods