Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME) is continuing flood recovery operations in Ibiza following torrential rains brought by Storm Adam, which flooded roads, disrupted flights and left vehicles trapped in submerged car parks.
The storm battered Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera on Sunday and Monday, with Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, recording nearly 200 millimetres of rainfall at Ibiza Airport over two days. The downpour included the wettest 24-hour period at the airport since records began in 1944.
Military personnel have been pumping water from flooded areas, while heavy machinery clears large rocks and debris from affected roads. At Cala Nova, near Es Canar, emergency crews worked through the night to drain a submerged car park where several vehicles had been trapped.
The flooding also affected Ibiza Airport, where water entered the terminal and disrupted air travel, while several roads became impassable.
As weather conditions improve, Balearic emergency officials indicated that the UME could begin withdrawing its teams from Ibiza and Formentera on Wednesday, although clean-up and recovery efforts remain ongoing.
The flooding adds to a challenging year for Spain, which has also battled extensive wildfires following a scorching summer. Government figures indicate that more than 275,000 hectares of land have burned across the country this year, with the UME deployed to combat major blazes.
Authorities continue to assess the impact of the flooding as recovery operations progress across the affected islands.