Week in News: Rain Warnings

Bon dia. Heavy rain put a damper on holiday events over the weekend and looks set to continue for much of the week ahead.

Weather Alerts

Storm Emilia dropped as much as 100 liters per square meter in the worst hit parts of Valencia, though no major flooding was reported, writes Las Provincias. Rain is expected to continue this week. Much of the storm raged offshore, just off the Valencian coast, explains Levante-EMV, sparing the city from the torrential rainfall initially feared on Sunday.

However, the storm system is still lingering in the area. As a precaution, universities have suspended classes for Monday, while schools in flood-prone areas have also closed for the day, writes El País.

Politics

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is due to meet with Generalitat President Juanfran Perez Llorca on Wednesday at Moncloa Palace in Madrid to discuss DANA recovery efforts, Valencia Plaza reports. Relations between the governments have been strained. This will be the first direct meeting between the administrations in more than a year.

Meanwhile, Sánchez and his Socialist Party continue to face mounting political scandals, but Sánchez has made clear he does not intend to call early elections, writes El País. He spoke during the campaign for the Extremadura regional elections happening next weekend.

Crime & Policing

An investigation is underway into the brutal killing of a woman in Catarroja, a case of gender-based violence that is raising serious questions about how authorities and the wider community failed to intervene despite a documented history of abuse, reports Las Provincias.

Economy & Environment

Ford and Renault have announced a partnership to supply electric vehicles to the European market, but uncertainty remains over how the deal could affect Ford’s planned assembly plant in Almussafes, reports Valencia Plaza.

Meanwhile, residents in Buñol and Chiva have filed a formal complaint against a proposed biomethane plant that would process livestock waste from across the Valencian region into natural gas, writes Las Provincias. Neighbors say they are concerned about wastewater contamination and persistent odors affecting surrounding communities.

Researchers are also investigating whether the latest outbreak of African swine fever among pigs and wild boar may be linked to a laboratory leak. The Bellaterra Laboratory near Barcelona was reportedly experimenting with the same virus strain in vaccine development, reports El Mundo.

City Life

More details have emerged about Valencia’s planned redesign of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, writes Las Provincias. The proposal includes doubling the number of trees and creating an oval-shaped plaza better suited for the mascletà.

More flight options from Valencia Airport: Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will begin operating daily flights between Valencia and Gatwick Airport, reports Las Provincias. Plus, 2 new flights a week to the French city of Lille by Volotea, also from Las Provincias.

Finally, a new survey on social relationships in Valencia suggests residents are largely satisfied with life in their neighborhoods, giving community ties an average score of 7.5 out of 10, writes Valencia Extra.

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I’ll be keeping track of weather alerts and posting them on the WhatsApp announcements group. Hope everyone stays safe and dry this week!