The Military Emergency Unit (UME) could begin a gradual withdrawal from Ibiza and Formentera on Wednesday, 21 October, following several days of operations to deal with flooding caused by Storm DANA Adam. However, the Balearic Government has stressed that the move will depend on progress with recovery work and the remaining need for military support.

Pablo Gárriz, the Balearic Government's Director General for Emergencies and the Interior, announced the possible redeployment on Tuesday after chairing a meeting of the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (CECOPI) at the advanced command post in sa Coma, Ibiza.

He cautioned that significant work remained, despite the improvement in weather conditions.

Withdrawal Depends on Recovery Work

Gárriz said the UME's deployment would be reduced progressively rather than ended immediately. Military personnel were still working alongside firefighters, Civil Protection, IBANAT and other emergency and technical teams to remove accumulated water and mud and help restore infrastructure affected by the flooding.

The director general explained that the withdrawal would depend on the evolution of the work and the operational requirements on the ground.

He also pointed to the need to make specialist military resources available for other emergencies in the Mediterranean region when they were no longer required in the Balearic Islands.

UME personnel deployed in Mallorca were already being withdrawn as their intervention there was no longer considered necessary. In Ibiza and Formentera, however, teams remained involved in recovery operations.

Flood Emergency Plan Remains at Operational Level 2

Despite the planned reduction in military resources, the Balearic Government maintained the Inunbal flood emergency plan at operational level 2 in Ibiza and Formentera.

This level reflects the continued need for additional resources to manage the consequences of the storm. Gárriz made clear that the UME would remain available for tasks requiring its support while the operational situation justified its presence.

The government was continuing to monitor affected areas, particularly locations where water had accumulated and where flooding had damaged roads, buildings and other infrastructure.

The improved weather did not mean that all emergency work had been completed.

Ibiza Airport Road Cleared After Flooding

Gárriz also confirmed that the road leading to Ibiza Airport had been cleared following the serious traffic disruption caused by the rainfall.

According to the emergency director, the authorities did not need to deploy the UME for an extraordinary intervention to reopen the road during this episode. Preventive measures and the reinforcement of the response teams had enabled water to be removed in time to keep the route passable.

The statement marks an improvement compared with previous flooding episodes, when water accumulation on the airport road caused major disruption.

The government also reported that critical infrastructure and essential services were operating. The fuel distribution facility operated by Exolum had not suffered disruption to the distribution of hydrocarbons, while the Hospital of Formentera remained operational despite some localised issues affecting its operating theatres.

October Becomes the Wettest in 75 Years

The emergency response followed exceptionally heavy rainfall across Ibiza and Formentera. Gárriz said October 2026 had become the wettest October in the 75-year historical record examined for the islands.

At the Es Codolar weather station near Ibiza Airport, rainfall totals reached approximately 193 litres per square metre, according to figures cited by the emergency director.

Although the meteorological warnings had been lifted in Ibiza, Formentera and Mallorca by Tuesday, the authorities continued to maintain civil protection measures because the ground remained saturated and some incidents were still unresolved.

The 112 Emergency Coordination Centre had recorded 388 incidents across the affected areas since the storm began on Saturday, 17 October. At the time of the government's update on Tuesday, 36 remained open: 23 in Ibiza, two in Formentera and 11 in Mallorca.

Most of the outstanding incidents involved flooding in buildings or on roads, fallen trees and damaged urban structures.

Recovery Continues as Authorities Assess Remaining Needs

The Balearic Government expected the situation in Ibiza and Formentera to move towards normality over the following hours as emergency teams continued dealing with the consequences of the storm.

The planned UME redeployment was part of that gradual transition, rather than confirmation that the response had ended. Its timing remained dependent on the outstanding work and the need for specialist military assistance.

For residents and businesses affected by DANA Adam, the immediate priority remained the removal of floodwater and mud, the restoration of damaged infrastructure and the resolution of the remaining emergency incidents.