Roda de Berà and el Vendrell demand making the Train Route more permeable to prevent structural flooding
The mayors of Roda de Berà and El Vendrell demand urgent actions to make the railway line more permeable and prevent floods from accumulating in the seaside neighborhoods. The difficulty in predicting very intense storms complicates the response, and the absence of ES-Alert raises doubts among the population.
After the downpours that shook the coast this past weekend, local authorities warn that the railway line and the N-340 road act as barriers that concentrate water and hinder its evacuation to the sea.
Why is the railway line a key problem for the residents?
How does the railway line affect the water flow out of the municipalities?
The railway line concentrates the water exit at specific points, generating a siphon effect that prevents the water from spreading freely. This causes the water not to lower in the seaside neighborhoods, but to be unable to exit, accumulating and causing floods.
What specific measures do the mayors demand?
Pere Virgili and Kenneth Martínez ask Adif and institutions to carry out strong actions to make the railway line more permeable. They propose opening more passages under the line, creating new reservoirs and channels to facilitate drainage and prevent water from stagnating.
How has the flooding affected Roda de Berà and El Vendrell?
What damages have occurred in the coastal area?
In Roda de Berà, about 20 vehicles have been affected, and damage has occurred to public roads, especially at the beaches, which will not recover before the end of summer. At the campsite, located in a flood-prone area, it is proposed to reconfigure the space to minimize future damage.
What repercussions has the rain had in El Vendrell?
El Vendrell has suffered damage to vehicles, premises, garages, and beach furniture, but the waterfront has already returned to normal. The mayor insists on the need to professionalize the management of the streams, which currently lack a homogeneous protocol.
Why was the ES-Alert not activated during the downpour?
What reasons do the mayors give for not activating the alert?
The technicians decided not to activate the ES-Alert because the intense rain had already been ongoing for an hour, and sending it could have been counterproductive. This raises doubts among the population, but the mayors do not question the technical decision and ask for a clear explanation.
How do they evaluate the response of emergency services?
Despite the complexity of predicting very localized Mediterranean storms, the coordination of firefighters, Civil Protection, Local Police, Mossos, and health services was excellent during the episode, according to Martínez.
| Aspect | Current situation | Mayors’ demand |
|---|---|---|
| Railway line | Mixes water passage and concentrates floods | Make it more permeable with more passages and channels |
| Coastal area | Damage at beaches and affected vehicles | Reconfigure sensitive spaces like the campsite |
| Stream management | Unhomogeneous and unprofessional protocol | Standardize and unify criteria |
| ES-Alert warning | Not activated due to technical criteria | Public explanation and transparency |
Source of the article: Miquel Codolar / Catalan News Agency
