Ibiza has been plunged into further chaos after a fresh wave of flooding saw luxury supercars submerged under the island’s streets with torrential rain bringing the airport to a close.
Dramatic footage taken on the Balearic party island, which is popular with British holidaymakers, shows locals and tourists trundling across the roads which have been engulfed by water thanks to Storm Alice.
The storm has hit Ibiza after ravaging much of southeastern Spain this week, including Costa Blanca, which saw the country placed on high alert after officials warned of ‘extraordinary danger’.
Its devastating effects on Ibiza forced Wayne Lineker to close down his popular O Beach club, from which he shared footage of revellers running to shelter as the tempest battered the lavish beach resort.
He said it was the ‘first day in years we’ve had to close early’ as he shared footage showing the high-speed winds on the island whipping up his club’s parasols by the pool.
Other videos, which resemble an apocalyptic movie rather than a holiday destination, show six-figure Lamborghinis and motorbikes almost entirely covered in muddy water while four-by-four cars struggle to make their way through the torrent.
The army has even been dispatched to the island for the second time in less than a fortnight to deal with the rescue and clean-up operation after the intense downpours wreaked havoc.
Internal areas of Ibiza Airport – which was entirely out of action for almost 90 minutes – were also closed off to travellers due to power cuts sparked by water pouring into the terminal yesterday.
A luxury Lamborghini supercar found itself submerged as Storm Alice ravaged Ibiza
A row of motorbikes were seen almost entirely submerged in muddy water in Ibiza Town
Wayne Lineker was forced to close down his popular O Beach club, where parasols could be seen being whipped up by the winds
Revellers at the beach resort could also be seen running to shelter as the storm continued
Twenty-four hour flights were also cancelled from late afternoon onwards.
Officials at Spanish airports authority AENA told local press: ‘Because of the adverse weather conditions in Ibiza, airport operations were temporarily paralysed between 6pm and 7.20pm.
‘During that time the runway was cleaned along with other areas that were affected by the storm.’
Twelve of the flights said to have been cancelled were incoming flights and the other 12 departing flights, with British holidaymakers among those affected.
The main road to the airport was also rendered unusable in a repeat of the September 30 horror floods.
Late last night it was confirmed military personnel from the specialist UME Armed Forces unit were heading back to Ibiza from their base near Valencia following a request from regional governors.
Army chiefs said on X: ‘Units from the Third Intervention Battalion BIEM3 have left their base in Valencia to join the emergency services in responding to flood warnings in Ibiza.’
The military reinforcements were due to arrive around 5am this morning.
Ibiza Town’s mayor Rafa Triguero, confirming several road closures including main access avenues into the city said yesterday: ‘All the council teams and services are working tirelessly to drain water and re-establish normality as soon as possible. The most important thing is that no-one has been hurt.’
Major areas in Ibiza saw the island’s roads turn to rivers as a result of Storm Alice’s downpours
Internal areas of Ibiza Airport were also closed off to travellers due to power cuts sparked by water pouring into the terminal
Shops were seemingly forced to close early as a result of the devastating effects of the storm
Larger cars struggled to travel down the streets which were covered by the massive deluge
The scale of the flooding was laid bare in footage resembling an apocalyptic movie rather than a holiday destination
Vans and four-by-four vehicles struggled to make their way through the flood-hit roads
He urged people to stay indoors if possible and to be extremely cautious if they had to travel anywhere.
As well as Ibiza Town, the holiday resort of Playa d’en Bossa and the towns of San Jose and Santa Eularia also suffered flooding. The neighbouring islands of Majorca and Formentera also experienced problems.
One local described the situation on the island as ‘devastating’.
Tourists reaching Ibiza on ferries were pictured stepping into knee-deep water as they got off the boat.
Before it caused problems in the Balearics yesterday evening, Storm Alice battered areas including Murcia on the Spanish mainland.
Several people had to be rescued from their cars in coastal areas of the province including San Javier and Los Alcazares.
It also brought chaos among Britons holidaying and living in Spain’s southeast as they fought over the final supplies of alcohol in supermarkets.
One poster in the La Zenia Facebook group, which is popular with British expats and holidaymakers across Alicante, said: ‘If you’re thinking about going to Lidl, don’t do it. All the British are there to buy all alcohol they can find.
Intense downpours have ravaged south coast resorts popular with British tourists for several weeks
Others have been trapped in cars as roads turned into fast-flowing rivers while schools shut on Friday
Spain’s Guardia Civil rescued people trapped in cars on flooded streets late into the night
‘Police need to come all the time because they’re fighting for the last alcohol.’
On Friday the Foreign Office issued a warning to Brits planning to travel to Spain, warning of ‘severe’ weather conditions on its eastern coast.
‘Severe weather warnings are in place today in Murcia and Valencia, including the province of Alicante. Disruptions to travel are likely,’ it said in a statement.
It continued: ‘If you are in the affected areas, follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local weather updates. If you are planning to travel, check for messaging from your travel provider or airline’.
AEMET, Spain’s weather agency, wrote on X: ‘Extraordinary danger. Flooding and flash floods may occur. Follow the advice of civil protection.’
Yellow warnings remain in place today from Valencia to the south of Tarragona.
Authorities are taking heightened measures as the storm comes nearly a year after widespread flooding in Valencia killed more than 200 people, Spain’s worst natural disaster in decades.
The catastrophe sparked public fury over warning systems and the emergency response.
On Friday the Foreign Office issued a warning to Brits planning to travel to Spain, warning of ‘severe’ weather conditions on its eastern coast
AEMET said the red alert would be in effect from 10:00 am (0800 GMT) on Friday in Mediterranean coastal regions of the province of Alicante, as well as in the neighbouring region of Murcia
Authorities are taking heightened measures as the storm comes nearly a year after widespread flooding in Valencia killed more than 200 people
Residents continue to protest, accusing officials of having failed to provide timely alerts.
Heavy rains lashed the region again last month, forcing the closure of schools and universities, disrupting rail and road travel and causing localised flooding.
Because a hotter atmosphere holds more water that evaporates from a rapidly warming Mediterranean Sea, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall in the region.
Almost 240 people died in the country after torrential rains last October triggered floods that swept through eastern and southeastern Spain.
The most severely hit area was Valencia’s southern suburbs where more than 220 people died.
