Week in News: Week in News: Weather Alerts, a Valencian Family Tragedy, and a Strange Sight on Valencia’s Streets

Bon dia.
Valencia’s final week of the year is shaping up as a rainy farewell to 2025. Rain is forecast for today, with conditions expected to ease by the end of the day.

After a brief holiday, I’m back in town and will be posting a feature on New Year’s celebration plans shortly. January 1 is a holiday and shops will be closed. I’ll be posting this weekend’s highlights on Friday instead.

Weather Alert

Heavy rainfall and severe lightning storms dumped more than 250 liters per square meter along parts of Valencia’s southern coast, reports Las Provincias, closing some highways and cancelling flights from Valencia airport.

Rushing waters in the Poyo ravine, in the Valencia metropolitan area, threatened to burst their banks, according to Levante-EMV. Several residents were evacuated, though authorities say the immediate flood risk now appears to be stabilizing.

Holiday Tragedy in Indonesia

A Valencian family vacationing in Indonesia remains at the center of a tragic search effort after their boat capsized near the Komodo Islands amid severe weather. The father, Fernando Martín, is the coach of Valencia’s women’s football team, and his son is the owner of a well-known restaurant in the city, writes Las Provincias.

While Martín’s partner, Andrea Ortuña, and her daughter were rescued, Martín and two children were initially reported missing. Search crews have since recovered the body of what is believed to be one of the children, reports Las Provincias. Search operations are ongoing.

Politics

Valencia’s Partido Popular–Vox coalition has passed the city’s 2026 budget but failed to implement a Low Emissions Zone, a decision that will cost the city approximately €14 million in government subsidies, explains Valencia Plaza.

As a result, Valencia will now have to fund discounted public transport fares using its own resources, reports El País.

In a separate vote, the city council approved a measure allowing the official name of the city to be written as both Valencia and València, reflecting Castilian and Valencian spelling, writes Valencia Plaza.

Economy & Environment

Production at the Ford Almussafes plant has fallen to a historic low, partly due to uncertainty surrounding the hybrid and electric vehicle market, reports Valencia Plaza. The factory remains a cornerstone of Valencia’s manufacturing economy.

Meanwhile, Generalitat-owned public companies recorded record losses this year, largely driven by the costly restructuring of the Feria Valencia convention center, explains Valencia Plaza.

Valencia is also seeing a significant labor shift: the unemployment rate among people over 55 now exceeds that of workers over 25, reports Valencia Plaza. Analysts say this reversal reflects deeper demographic changes tied to the region’s aging population.

A new study on urban gentrification warns that Valencia is increasingly following the path of Barcelona and Madrid, with rising rents and strained public infrastructure pushing longtime residents out of central neighborhoods, writes Valencia Plaza.

Crime & Policing

Police have arrested two Polish nationals accused of killing a German homeowner in Elche, reports El País. Authorities believe the suspects had been illegally occupying the luxury home when the owner returned to evict them.

The rollout of a new traffic regulation requiring insurance for electric scooters has been delayed due to what officials describe as “legal and technical” obstacles, according to the DGT.

And finally, an unusual sight on Valencia’s streets this weekend: a man dressed as Generalísimo Francisco Franco drove through the city in an open-top convertible. Las Provincias described the stunt as a “tasteless joke” by the founder of the far-right group España 2000. The man was fined €200 — not for the costume, but for failing to wear a seatbelt.

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Stay tuned for New Year’s plans. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy start to 2026!