Firefighters Pump Floodwater From Valencia Underpass After Storms Dump Heavy Rain

Firefighters continued clearing flooded underpasses on September 17 after storms brought heavy rain across the area overnight.

Crews in helmets and waders pumped muddy water from a concrete underpass, using portable equipment and hoses as standing water covered the roadway.

The provincial fire service recorded 120 callouts across Valencia province from the start of the rain episode. Incidents included drivers trapped in water, flooded areas, lightning fires and lift failures.

Firefighters in Valencia city separately handled about 250 jobs, mainly involving pumping operations, fallen branches and façade work.

More than 80 liters of rain per square meter fell in parts of the city during the night of September 16–17, including 81.5 liters at Mestalla. About 85 liters per square meter were recorded in l’Eliana.

Nearly 9,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the Valencian Community that day.

The Pechina and Hermanos Machado tunnels in Valencia city reopened on September 17. The underpass shown in the footage was not identified.