El río Manzanares y otros ríos de Madrid en alerta por lluvias este fin de semana

The rise of the Manzanares River continues to be a topic of discussion in Madrid, with alerts still in place for possible overflows and floods. All while waiting for a weekend where it will continue to rain in Madrid. The Martinho storm shows no mercy.

The second day of Martinho has brought abundant precipitation before a weekend with lesser accumulations, reducing the pressure on the riverbeds that are already highly saturated in much of the peninsula. This is why the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has reiterated the need to pay attention to possible overflows.

In Madrid, they are keeping a close eye as the storm has once again brought rain, with authorities closely monitoring the rise of the Manzanares, Jarama, Henares, and Tajuña rivers. «At the moment, there is a stable situation, but this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t remain vigilant,» explained the mayor of the capital, José Luis Martínez-Almeida.

The first phase of the flood plan in the Community of Madrid, Inuncam, remains activated as the precipitation combines with thawing in the mountains, which can cause «localized» increases in river levels, as reported by the Director-General of the Emergency and Security Agency 112, Pedro Ruiz.

Several universities have suspended classes, telecommuting has been recommended in the region, and El Retiro and eight other parks remain closed, along with some secondary roads, following cuts in the connection between the M-30 and M-40 in the A-6 direction due to the rise of the Manzanares.

The Madrid river has increased its flow by 15 times due to the release of water from the El Pardo dam, which is heavily laden with water.

On Madrid Directo, we have seen that the rise of the Manzanares has become a spectacle for many Madrileños, who have come to the capital to see up close how the water is flowing. Authorities have urged caution and advised against approaching the riverbanks.

Road closures

By mid-afternoon on Friday, two roads were still closed in the Community of Madrid due to the rainy weather, the M-611 and M-215, while the City Council has confirmed that there are no conditions requiring the closure of any traffic routes.

The Advisory Committee of the Flood Action Plan of the City of Madrid (PAINUNAM), led by Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz, has stated that there are no conditions for road closures. However, the City Council continues to monitor the evolution of weather conditions and river levels, especially the Manzanares, and will alert the population to any developments.

Meanwhile, the Emergency and Security Agency Madrid 112 has reported that two road sections are closed in the community, the M-611 in Rascafría and the M-215 in Ambite.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Madrid 112 anticipates a stable situation and recommends limiting travel to the mountains due to a significant risk of avalanches, with adverse weather conditions expected to continue. They also advise drivers to avoid driving near rivers and reservoirs.