The storm hits Aragon hard with floods and blackouts

On Friday afternoon, the floodwaters hit much of the northern part of the peninsula with force. In the center of Tarazona, in the province of Zaragoza, flooding occurred in just one hour, with over 20 liters per square meter of rainfall . Significant damage has also been reported in other areas in the west of Zaragoza province, such as the Aranda and Valdejalón regions.

The water surged through the streets of Tarazona, sweeping away everything in its path. The water flooded homes, ground floors, and commercial premises. The worst of the storm began around 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening, when water began to enter homes.

This afternoon, the Government of Aragon decided to activate the Level 1 emergency phase of the Special Civil Protection Plan for Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (Procifemar) due to the widespread rain and storms in the region, which are causing incidents especially in municipalities in the Tarazona and Moncayo regions.

A level 1 emergency is declared when the situation or its foreseeable development can be controlled with the resources assigned to Procifemar. The 112 Aragón Emergency Center has handled around thirty rain-related incidents in the Tarazona and Moncayo regions as of 9:00 p.m., including fallen trees, water in roads, garages, homes, and businesses, among others.

In addition, the State Meteorological Agency has updated the weather warnings for storms and rain for Saturday, July 12. A yellow warning for storms is in effect in Cinco Villas, between 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; a yellow warning for storms in Albarracín and Jiloca, Gúdar and Maestrazgo, and Ibérica region of Zaragoza, between 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; a yellow warning for rain in Cinco Villas, between midnight and 9:00 p.m.; and a yellow warning for rain in Ibérica region of Zaragoza, between 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

The warning is orange for rain in the provinces of Huesca, Bajo Aragón, and Ribera del Ebro, between midnight and 9:00 p.m.; there is also an orange warning for rain in Albarracín and Jiloca, and Gúdar and Maestrazgo, between 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

These rains and storms could be accompanied locally by large hail, very strong gusts of wind and wind showers, and, as warned by the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE), could cause flooding in ravines and riverbeds. Therefore, Civil Protection is asking the population to take extreme self-protection measures against these adverse weather phenomena.

Considering that these phenomena will occur over the weekend, a time when summertime significantly increases traffic on roads and outdoor, aquatic, and natural activities, Civil Protection recommends staying informed about the weather situation through official channels, avoiding unnecessary travel in the affected areas, and always following the instructions of the authorities and emergency services.

112 Aragón, its social media channels, and those of the Government of Aragón, are disseminating all the latest weather forecast updates, as well as self-protection advice for floods, storms, rain, hail, and strong winds.