Storm Adam kills at least five in eastern Spain after 632mm of rain
The DANA storm system dumped record rain on Valencia and Alicante, forcing more than 2,100 evacuations and 1,000 rescues; the region is now counting the damage and seeking emergency aid.
At a glance
- Storm Adam, a slow-moving DANA weather system, killed at least five people in eastern Spain between October 17 and 20, 2026, authorities said.
- Pego in Alicante province recorded a provisional 632mm of rain in 36 hours, including 465mm on October 19 alone, according to the state weather agency AEMET.
- The Civil Guard evacuated 2,141 people and carried out 496 rescues in Valencia and Alicante; regional services said they made more than 1,000 air and ground rescues in one day.
- Movement restrictions covered 145 towns at the peak; the storm eased from Tuesday and the Valencian government has announced an aid package.
Storm Adam, a slow-moving "DANA" weather system, has killed at least five people in eastern Spain, authorities said, after record rain flooded towns across Valencia and Alicante between October 17 and 20, 2026. The storm eased from Tuesday, leaving regional officials counting damage across dozens of municipalities and asking Madrid for emergency support.
What happened
The heaviest rain fell on Sunday, October 19. The state weather agency AEMET said Pego, in the north of Alicante province, received a provisional 632mm of rain in 36 hours, including 465.2mm in a single day — far more than the area normally sees in several months. Streets turned into rivers, campsites flooded and people were lifted from rooftops by helicopter.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Deaths | At least 5 |
| Heaviest rain | 632mm in 36 hours at Pego (465.2mm on Oct 19) |
| Civil Guard evacuations | 2,141 |
| Civil Guard rescues | 496 (423 in Valencia, 73 in Alicante) |
| Regional rescues on Oct 19 | More than 1,000 by air and ground |
| Emergency calls handled | 1,876 incidents (Oct 17 to Oct 20) |
| Towns under restrictions | 145 at the peak |
The victims
- A 79-year-old woman was found dead on the ground floor of her home in Oliva; her niece was rescued alive.
- A 64-year-old man died after a cardiac arrest at a flooded campsite in Oliva.
- A woman died after entering the sea at Sagunto, north of Valencia.
- A 35-year-old woman was swept away while crossing a stream with her children in Cabrera de Mar, Catalonia, on October 17; her body was found the next day near Premià de Mar.
Officials were still examining other deaths, including a farmer found in the Pego–Oliva marsh, to establish whether they were linked to the storm.
Background
A DANA — an isolated pocket of cold air high in the atmosphere — can stall over the warm Mediterranean and unleash days of torrential rain. Eastern Spain is especially exposed. In October 2024, a DANA caused catastrophic flash floods around Valencia that killed more than 220 people, the country's deadliest natural disaster in decades, and led to fierce criticism of late emergency alerts.
This time, AEMET issued a special notice on October 18 warning of 300–400mm of rain over the episode, and the regional government imposed confinement and movement restrictions in 145 municipalities before the peak. Most were lifted on the evening of October 19.
Reactions
Regional emergency minister Juan Carlos Valderrama said services had carried out more than 1,000 rescues in a single day. The Military Emergency Unit (UME) was deployed and later stood down as the emergency level was lowered. The Valencian government announced an aid package and said it would ask the national government to declare the affected area seriously hit by a civil emergency, which unlocks state funding for repairs and compensation.
Why it matters
The storm hit a region still rebuilding from the 2024 floods, and is a fresh test of Spain's warning systems and of how towns are built along flood-prone gullies. Scientists say a warmer Mediterranean is making such extreme rain events more intense. Farmers in the citrus belt around Pego and Oliva also face crop and irrigation losses, and tourism businesses along the Costa Blanca were hit at the end of the season.
What happens next
- Damage assessments and the request for state emergency status are under way.
- Shelters in Xàbia and Oliva stayed open for people who cannot return home.
- As of October 20, 10 roads were affected, including the AP-7 near Pilar de la Horadada, and schools in six towns were closed.
Safety advice
Follow alerts from AEMET and the regional 112 service, never drive or walk through flooded roads or dry riverbeds, and move to higher floors rather than basements or garages when warnings are issued.
Questions people are asking
How many people died in Storm Adam in Spain?
At least five people died in eastern Spain, authorities said, including two people in Oliva, a woman who entered the sea at Sagunto and a woman swept away by a stream in Cabrera de Mar near Barcelona. Officials were still checking whether other deaths were linked to the storm.
What is a DANA?
DANA is the Spanish abbreviation for an isolated depression at high levels, a pocket of cold air that becomes cut off in the upper atmosphere. Over the warm Mediterranean it can stall and produce extreme, long-lasting rain, as happened in Valencia in October 2024 and again with Storm Adam in 2026.
Is it safe to travel to Valencia and Alicante now?
The storm eased from October 20 and most movement restrictions were lifted, but some roads, including part of the AP-7 near Pilar de la Horadada, were affected and a few schools stayed closed. Travellers should check regional emergency updates and road information before setting out.
