Ibiza and Formentera faced another critical day of severe weather on Monday, 19 October, after Storm Adam brought exceptionally heavy rainfall, overflowing torrents and flooding across the islands. Rainfall reached 190 litres per square metre in Es Codolar over 24 hours, while emergency services recorded 172 incidents across the Pitiusas between Saturday night and midday Monday.

The Balearic Government maintained its highest civil-protection alert level at the time of the morning emergency briefing, warning that saturated ground and rising groundwater levels left the islands vulnerable to further flooding.

Two emergency ES-Alert messages had been sent to mobile phones across Ibiza and Formentera to warn residents and visitors of the danger and urge them to take precautions.

Es Codolar Records 190 Litres of Rain in 24 Hours

AEMET data presented during Monday's meeting of the emergency coordination body CECOPI showed exceptionally high rainfall totals across Ibiza and Formentera.

The reported accumulations over the preceding 24 hours were:

• Es Codolar, Ibiza: 190 litres per square metre.

• Ibiza Town: 155 litres per square metre.

• Sant Joan de Labritja: 112 litres per square metre.

• Formentera: 130 litres per square metre.

The rainfall was considerably heavier in the Pitiusas than in other parts of the Balearic Islands. In Mallorca, the highest reported accumulation was 39 litres per square metre in ses Salines, while Menorca recorded 43 litres.

The continued rainfall followed an already difficult Sunday, when streets, businesses, ground-floor premises and garages were inundated. The combination of further precipitation and waterlogged ground raised concerns that additional downpours could quickly trigger more flooding.

Emergency Services Record 201 Incidents Across the Balearic Islands

The 112 emergency coordination centre recorded 201 weather-related incidents across the Balearic Islands between 22:00 on Saturday, 17 October, and 12:00 on Monday, 19 October.

The breakdown was:

• Ibiza: 113 incidents.

• Formentera: 59 incidents.

• Mallorca: 27 incidents.

• Menorca: Two incidents.

The combined total for Ibiza and Formentera was therefore 172 incidents.

Most interventions involved flooding. Authorities recorded 86 incidents affecting establishments or buildings and another 30 on public roads. Other reported problems included fallen trees, trees blocking roads, debris or liquids on road surfaces, damage involving urban infrastructure, interruptions to basic services and risks from falling structures.

Among the most significant incidents were overflowing torrents at sa Llavanera and cap del riu in Santa Eulària.

Why the Flood Risk Remained High

Emergency officials warned that the danger was not determined by rainfall intensity alone.

Ground saturation and elevated groundwater levels across Ibiza and Formentera meant that the land had limited capacity to absorb additional water. As a result, even less intense rainfall could cause further flooding in vulnerable locations.

AEMET forecast that rain would continue across the Balearic Islands on Monday, with potentially intense showers in the Pitiusas and Mallorca during the morning and early afternoon. A relative lull was expected later in the afternoon, followed by a possible renewed increase in rainfall during the evening and overnight into Tuesday.

Authorities therefore urged residents not to interpret a temporary improvement in the weather as a guarantee that conditions were safe.

Red Emergency Status and Reinforced Response

At the time of Monday's morning briefing, the Balearic Government maintained the red civil-protection severity level, known as IG-2 under the Meteobal weather-emergency plan, in Ibiza, Formentera and Mallorca.

The islands also remained under operational level 2 of the Inunbal flood-response plan. Menorca was under an orange alert for rain and thunderstorms, while a separate yellow coastal-phenomena alert applied to Ibiza, Formentera and Mallorca.

These civil-protection levels should not be confused with AEMET's meteorological warning colours. Emergency authorities consider not only the forecast but also local conditions, accumulated rainfall, ground saturation and the vulnerability of the population when determining the appropriate response.

The Military Emergency Unit (UME) had been deployed to Ibiza and Formentera on Sunday afternoon and arrived in Mallorca on Monday morning to reinforce the response.

Authorities Urge Residents Not to Lower Their Guard

Residents and visitors were advised to avoid unnecessary journeys, stay away from torrents and flood-prone areas, and never attempt to cross flooded roads on foot or by vehicle.

People were also warned to avoid basements and garages that could fill with water and to follow instructions issued by emergency services.

Later on Monday, the emergency severity level in Ibiza and Formentera was lowered as the situation began to improve. However, the authorities continued to monitor remaining incidents and the effects of the storm.

Storm Adam demonstrated how quickly extreme rainfall can overwhelm roads, drainage systems and buildings across the Pitiusas. Even as conditions improve, the priority remains clearing affected areas, restoring infrastructure and preventing further incidents while the ground remains saturated.