Valencia Begins Recovering After Torrential Storm as Nearly 95,000 Students Miss Classes

September 18, 2026

Valencia and surrounding areas began returning to normal on Thursday after a powerful episode of torrential rain caused flooding, transport disruption and more than 1,000 emergency incidents across the region.

The storm hit particularly hard on Wednesday, September 16, with intense rainfall, thunderstorms, hail and strong winds affecting Valencia city and several municipalities across the metropolitan area. By Thursday, emergency crews, transport operators and local authorities were working to reopen roads, inspect public facilities and restore services.

The episode also led to the suspension of in-person classes for 94,825 students across 13 municipalities in the provinces of Valencia and Alicante.

More than 1,000 incidents recorded

According to figures from the Valencian emergency coordination system, 1,084 incidents linked to the storm were handled between 14:00 on Wednesday and 18:00 on Thursday.

Of these, 684 were recorded in the city of Valencia itself. Other municipalities reporting significant numbers of interventions included Torrent with 77, Paterna with 30, l’Eliana and Moncada with 28 each, and Bétera with 26.

Emergency interventions included flooded roads and buildings, water entering properties, blocked vehicles, traffic problems, damage to public areas and rescue operations.

More than 80 litres of rain per square metre in Valencia

The rainfall was particularly intense in parts of the metropolitan area.

Municipal rain gauges in Valencia recorded up to 81.5 litres per square metre at Mestalla. Other locations also recorded substantial accumulations, including 75.2 litres at La Torre and more than 60 litres at several other stations.

Outside the city, some locations recorded more than 100 litres per square metre. Avamet reported 106 litres in l’Eliana, 102.4 litres in Chiva-Calicanto and 100.3 litres in Torrent-Calicanto.

The rainfall was accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong wind gusts, contributing to flooding and disruption across several municipalities.

Nearly 95,000 students affected by school closures

The storm also significantly affected education.

A total of 94,825 students were affected by the suspension of in-person classes on Thursday, according to figures from the Valencian education authorities.

In Valencia province, 37,975 students were affected. School activity was suspended in Carcaixent, l’Alcúdia, Mislata, Paterna and Alberic, as well as at several individual educational centres and in the southern districts of Valencia city.

In Alicante province, 56,850 students were affected by closures in Elche, Crevillent, Santa Pola, Orihuela Costa and Bigastro.

Universities also adopted precautionary measures, with institutions including the University of Valencia moving teaching activities online during the worst of the weather.

Transport gradually returns to normal

The rainfall caused substantial disruption to transport.

Metrovalencia temporarily suspended services, while several Cercanías railway lines were also affected. Services gradually resumed on Thursday, although some routes continued to experience delays and restrictions.

Valencia Airport in Manises was temporarily affected by flooding on Wednesday night. Twelve flights were diverted, according to information attributed to airport operator Aena, before the airport returned to operation on Thursday.

By Thursday, the airport was operating again and public transport services were progressively recovering.

Parks and public spaces inspected

Valencia City Council had already introduced preventive measures before the heaviest rainfall arrived.

Parks and gardens, the Jardín del Túria, cemeteries and some other public facilities were closed as a precaution. Sporting activities in outdoor municipal facilities were also suspended.

On Thursday, teams began inspecting parks, gardens and municipal facilities. The Jardín del Túria was being cleaned and inspected before reopening progressively.

The city reported an incident at the Colegio Bartolomé Cossío involving a wall affected by a fallen branch, while students at the CIDE centre in Malva-rosa were relocated within the building.

Emergency alert issued during the storm

The episode also prompted the activation of emergency measures because of the risk of flooding.

An ES-Alert was sent to mobile phones across Valencia province at around 22:08 on Wednesday, warning residents about the risk of flooding and advising them to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers and ravines and respect road closures.

The timing of the alert subsequently became the subject of political criticism from opposition parties and comments from organisations representing victims of the 2024 DANA. Valencian government officials defended the emergency response and the timing of the warning.

Those disagreements concern the interpretation of the emergency response and should not be presented as an established finding that the alert was issued too late.

Memories of the 2024 DANA

The rainfall inevitably revived memories of the devastating DANA that affected Valencia on October 29, 2024.

Several municipalities that were severely affected by that disaster once again experienced intense rainfall, including Paiporta, Torrent and other areas around the Poyo basin.

However, the September 2026 storm was considerably different in scale from the 2024 disaster. The latest reports indicate that the September episode caused flooding, transport disruption and property and infrastructure incidents, but did not produce the same level of loss of life and destruction associated with the 2024 catastrophe.

Valencia returns to normal

By Thursday, authorities were progressively lifting restrictions and reopening affected facilities as inspections and cleaning work continued.

Emergency services remained active while local authorities assessed damage and dealt with the remaining effects of the rainfall.

The episode demonstrated once again how quickly intense Mediterranean storms can affect Valencia's roads, transport network, public facilities and schools, particularly in areas with a history of flooding.

For now, the focus has shifted from emergency response to cleanup, infrastructure inspections and the gradual restoration of normal activity across Valencia and the surrounding municipalities.

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