Floods are the most frequent natural disaster in Spain and one of the deadliest in Europe. According to the Spanish insurance compensation body, the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros, floods account for more than 60 % of compensation paid for natural catastrophes in the country. Yet most deaths and serious damage can be prevented with proper preparation. This guide brings together the recommendations of Civil Protection, the Directorate-General for Water and international emergency bodies, so you know exactly what to do before, during and after a flood.

Before the flood: preparation is survival

The difference between a manageable emergency and a tragedy usually comes down to what was done before the water arrived. Civil Protection is emphatic that advance preparation is the single most decisive factor in reducing casualties and damage.

Know the risk where you live

The first step is knowing whether you live, work or travel through a flood-prone area. In Spain, the Flood Risk Management Plans and the National Flood Zone Mapping System run by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition provide detailed maps of areas at risk for return periods of 10, 100 and 500 years.

  • Check the national flood-zone viewer to see whether your home or workplace lies in a flood zone.
  • Identify the watercourses nearby: rivers, ravines, ramblas and drainage channels that could overflow.
  • Learn your municipality’s flood history. Many areas that flooded in the past will flood again.
  • If you live in a basement or ground floor next to a watercourse, your risk is significantly higher.
ⓘ Worth knowing WhatAWeather uses flood forecasting models based on Open-Meteo data and the SAIH networks to provide early warnings. Checking the live map regularly helps you stay ahead of a developing situation.

Put together an emergency kit

Having a kit ready and accessible can be vital if you need to evacuate quickly. Civil Protection recommends it contain, as a minimum:

  • Drinking water: at least three litres per person per day, for a minimum of 72 hours.
  • Non-perishable food: tins, energy bars, nuts and dried fruit.
  • A first-aid kit with essential medication, especially if anyone has a chronic condition.
  • A torch with spare batteries, and a battery or wind-up radio for official information.
  • Important documents in a waterproof bag: identity papers, passport, insurance policies, deeds.
  • A power bank for your phone.
  • Warm waterproof clothing and sturdy closed shoes.
  • Cash, since cash machines and card terminals may stop working.
  • A whistle to call for help if you become trapped.

Draw up a family emergency plan

Every member of the household should know the plan. It should cover:

  • A meeting point: a safe place on high ground where you will regroup if you are separated.
  • Evacuation routes: at least two routes from your home to higher ground, avoiding any that cross watercourses or underpasses.
  • An emergency contact: a relative outside the risk area who can act as the central point everyone reports to.
  • Vulnerable people: if there are elderly people, anyone with reduced mobility or small children, plan how to help them evacuate.
  • Pets: keep a carrier and enough food ready.

Sign up for warning systems

In Spain, the ES-Alert system sends mass alerts to every mobile phone in an affected area. In addition:

  • Turn on AEMET weather alerts on your phone.
  • Follow the official Civil Protection and 112 accounts for your region.
  • Use tools such as WhatAWeather to monitor river levels and rainfall forecasts in real time.

Protect your home

Preventive measures that reduce material damage:

  • Fit non-return valves on basement drains so that sewer water cannot back up into the property.
  • Move appliances, distribution boards and valuables to upper floors.
  • Keep sandbags or flood barriers to hand if you live in an area that floods repeatedly.
  • Check that your home insurance is in force. In Spain, the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros covers extraordinary risks provided you hold a valid policy.

During the flood: the rules that save lives

Once flooding is under way, every decision counts. Civil Protection statistics show that most deaths result from avoidable behaviour: trying to cross flooded ground on foot or by car, going down into basements or garages, or underestimating the force of the water.

⚠ LETHAL DANGER: never cross flooded ground Just 15 centimetres of moving water can knock an adult off their feet. At 30 centimetres a vehicle loses traction. At 60 centimetres most cars are swept away. Muddy water hides washouts, open manholes and debris.

If you are at home

  • Move to the upper floors. Never go down to the basement or garage to rescue the car or your belongings.
  • Cut the electricity at the main board if water may reach the sockets, and turn off the gas.
  • Do not use lifts under any circumstances. A power cut can trap you as the water rises.
  • Keep your phone charged and listen to the radio for official instructions.
  • If the water rises quickly and you cannot evacuate, get onto the roof and make yourself visible with a coloured sheet, a torch or the whistle from your kit.

If you are outdoors

  • Move away immediately from rivers, ravines and ramblas, even ones that look dry.
  • Head for high ground along the routes you identified in advance.
  • Avoid underpasses, tunnels and basements. They become death traps that fill within minutes.
  • Do not walk through moving water. If you have no alternative and the water reaches your knees, use a stick for support and walk diagonally across the current.
  • Hold on to something fixed — a lamp post, a solid tree, a railing — if the current catches you.

Driving in floods: the deadliest trap

The international statistics are unambiguous: between 50 % and 70 % of flood deaths happen inside vehicles. In Spain, the Valencia floods of October 2024, the September 2019 DANA in the Vega Baja del Segura and the 2018 Mallorca floods all confirmed the pattern. Driving during a flood is one of the most dangerous decisions a person can make.

⚠ THE GOLDEN RULE: if there is water, turn around Never try to cross a flooded road, whatever you drive. Four-wheel drives and SUVs are just as vulnerable. A sheet of water only 30 cm deep moving quickly exerts a lateral force of several hundred kilos on a vehicle.

Why is it so dangerous?

  • Loss of traction. At 15 to 20 cm the tyres lose their grip on the asphalt and the car can be pushed sideways.
  • Flotation. A standard car starts to float in barely 60 cm of water. Once afloat, the current is in complete control.
  • You cannot see the road. There may be a washout beneath the surface, a collapsed bridge or a missing verge.
  • Sudden rises. In Mediterranean ramblas the water can rise several metres within minutes. What looks like a puddle can become a torrent in seconds.
  • Jammed doors. Water pressure against the doors makes them almost impossible to open once the level rises above the chassis.

If your vehicle becomes trapped in water:

  • Undo your seatbelt immediately.
  • Lower the windows before the electrics fail; if you cannot, use an emergency glass breaker.
  • Get out through the window and climb onto the roof.
  • Do not try to open the doors while water is pressing against them.
  • If the car sinks, wait until it partly fills so that the pressure equalises, then open the door.
⚠ A recommendation Always keep an emergency glass breaker with a seatbelt cutter in the glovebox. It costs under ten euros and can save your life. Practise using it so you can act fast under stress.

After the flood: essential precautions

The danger does not end when the water recedes. The hours and days afterwards call for specific precautions to avoid accidents, illness and further damage.

Structural safety

  • Do not return home until the authorities authorise it. There may be a risk of collapse, especially in older buildings or those with shallow foundations.
  • Inspect the structure before entering: look for cracks in load-bearing walls, deformed floors and ceilings, doors and windows that no longer close.
  • Beware of weakened ground. Erosion beneath the foundations may have undermined them even if the building looks intact from outside.
  • Do not switch the electricity back on until a technician has checked the installation. Water and mud inside junction boxes and sockets create a risk of electrocution.

Water and food

  • Do not drink tap water until the health authorities confirm it is safe. Floods frequently contaminate supply networks with sewage, agricultural and industrial chemicals and animal remains.
  • Throw away all food that has been in contact with floodwater, including packaged food if the packaging is not airtight.
  • Clean and disinfect all crockery and kitchen utensils with diluted bleach before using them again.

Environmental hazards

  • Watch for landslides. Saturated ground can destabilise days after the flood.
  • Avoid direct contact with waste water: wear gloves, rubber boots and a mask while cleaning up.
  • Beware of displaced animals. Snakes, rats and others may have taken shelter in homes and garages.
  • Ventilate enclosed spaces thoroughly before spending time in them. Toxic gases, mould and extreme damp can build up.

Documenting the damage for insurance

To make a proper claim, documenting the damage is essential:

  • Photograph and film all the damage before starting any cleaning or repair. Take both wide shots and close-ups.
  • Draw up a detailed inventory of damaged property with estimated values and, where possible, purchase receipts.
  • Mark the maximum water level on the walls with tape or a marker before the tidemarks dry out.
  • Keep samples of damaged items until the loss adjuster has assessed them.
  • Contact your insurer as soon as possible. In Spain the deadline for notifying the Consorcio is seven days from the event.
ⓘ The Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros In Spain, if you hold a valid home, motor or business policy, flood damage is automatically covered by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros as an extraordinary risk. No specific additional cover is needed. You can claim through your insurer or directly on the Consorcio website.

Groups that need extra attention

Some people require particular consideration during a flood emergency:

  • Older people may have mobility difficulties, hearing loss that makes alerts hard to catch, or confusion under stress. Make sure elderly neighbours know what is happening.
  • People with disabilities. Plan the evacuation around wheelchairs, mains-powered medical equipment and specific communication needs.
  • Children. Explain the emergency plan in a way suited to their age. They should know what to do if they are separated from adults.
  • Tourists and temporary residents are especially vulnerable because they do not know the area, the evacuation routes or, often, the language of the alerts.

Emergency numbers and resources

Keep these numbers accessible, ideally written on paper in case your phone runs out of battery:

  • 112 — the single emergency number, which works across Europe even without coverage from your own operator.
  • 062 — Guardia Civil.
  • 091 — National Police.
  • AEMET — weather warnings at aemet.es.
  • Civil Protection — information and emergency plans at proteccioncivil.es.

Quick checklist

This guide, boiled down to things you can check today:

  • Do I know whether my area floods? Check the national flood-zone viewer.
  • Do I have an emergency kit ready? Review and refresh it every six months.
  • Does my family know the evacuation plan? Rehearse it at least once a year.
  • Are alerts enabled on my phone? Check AEMET and ES-Alert.
  • Is my home insurance in force? Confirm it with your insurer.
  • Do I have a glass breaker in the car? Buy one and practise using it.
  • Do I know the emergency numbers? Write them down on paper.
  • Have I protected my home? Non-return valves, documents stored high up.
The best response to an emergency is the one rehearsed before it happens. Do not wait for the alert to start thinking about what to do.

Preparing for floods is not an expense but an investment in safety. WhatAWeather helps with the technical side — forecasts, real-time warnings, river and reservoir levels — but physical preparation and knowledge are down to each person and each family. Spend a few hours getting ready: when the moment comes, you will be glad you did.