The mayor of Lloret de Mar, Adrià Lamelas, is facing criticism from opposition parties after reports placed him in Ibiza while heavy rainfall caused flooding and more than 100 incidents in the Catalan town on Sunday, October 4.

According to local reporting, Lamelas had travelled to Ibiza for a private celebration and was photographed socialising with friends during the period when Lloret was dealing with the effects of the storm.

The controversy centres not simply on his absence, but on when he left, whether the trip continued after the emergency measures were announced and how the mayor's responsibilities were handled while he was away.

Lloret Had Already Activated Flood Measures

The Ajuntament de Lloret de Mar activated preventive measures on Saturday, October 3, following the activation of Catalonia's INUNCAT flood emergency plan.

The municipal measures came into force at 20:00 on Saturday and remained scheduled until 14:00 on Sunday. Residents were asked to avoid non-essential travel, while activities in natural areas, parks and gardens, sports and leisure activities, outdoor markets and events in flood-prone areas were suspended.

The rainfall that followed caused flooding and access problems in several parts of Lloret.

Local emergency services dealt with more than 100 incidents on Sunday morning, while water entered buildings, affected roads and caused problems in several areas of the municipality.

Opposition Questions the Mayor's Absence

The opposition has questioned Lamelas' decision to continue with his trip to Ibiza despite the emergency measures.

According to the reports, opposition representatives sought a meeting with the mayor at the Local Police station at around 18:00 on Sunday. Lamelas did not attend, and First Deputy Mayor Míriam Rodríguez Arjonilla reportedly told those present that he was not in the municipality.

Opposition representatives then questioned who had assumed the mayor's responsibilities during his absence.

According to the account published by local media, Rodríguez said that no formal delegation had been made because Lamelas' absence had not exceeded 24 hours.

That point has become one of the main areas of political criticism. However, the exact circumstances surrounding the mayor's absence and the timing of his departure have not been independently established in the available reporting.

The Timing of the Trip Remains Important

The Lloret council's preventive measures were announced on Saturday afternoon and came into effect at 20:00.

Opposition representatives argue that if Lamelas left after the warnings and restrictions had already been announced, questions should be asked about the decision to continue with the private trip.

However, the exact time he travelled to Ibiza has not been established publicly. That means it would be premature to state that he knowingly left after the emergency restrictions came into force.

The available reporting also does not establish that Lamelas failed to carry out a specific legal obligation. The issue remains the subject of political criticism and questions about the management of the mayor's responsibilities during his absence.

What Happened in Lloret During the Storm

The rainfall produced a serious weather episode across the area.

According to local emergency reporting, Lloret recorded close to 200 litres of rain per square metre during the storm, with the most intense rainfall occurring during the early hours of Sunday. More than 100 incidents were subsequently attended by emergency services.

Among the reported problems were flooding at Pompeu Fabra school and an incident at the Hotel Amatista, where guests were moved to higher floors. Lamelas later described the overall impact on the municipality as mostly minor, while emergency officials highlighted the exceptional intensity of the rainfall.

The response involved the Local Police, Civil Protection, municipal crews and medical services.

Lamelas Has Not Publicly Addressed the Main Questions

Lamelas has since spoken publicly about the consequences of the storm in Lloret, but the reports reviewed for this article do not contain a direct response from the mayor addressing the central questions raised by the opposition about his Ibiza trip.

Those questions include when he left Lloret, why the trip continued during the emergency and how political responsibilities were handled while he was away.

At this stage, those points should remain framed as matters of political controversy rather than established wrongdoing.

The incident is therefore less about a confirmed breach of duty and more about the political scrutiny facing the mayor over his decision to be away from Lloret during a significant weather emergency.