More than two and a half weeks on alert with the looks put in the sky, the reservoirs, the banks of the rivers and the forecasts They have been the constant during the greatest rains in Madrid in 135 years with the intense Borrascas train that has passed through the Iberian Peninsula.
The Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Interior of the Community of Madrid, Carlos Novillo, He has made a balance of the actions of the Asem112 and Canal de Isabel II During this period of storms with the challenge of managing and responding to the great contribution of water in the region.
Thousands of interventions
Today, the regional government maintains in operational situation 1 the Special Plan for the Risk of Flood (INUNCAM) that activated March 5 at its level of emergency before the rain alert in Madrid. Since then, the Community of Madrid manages the response to the largest episode of rainfall of the last 135 years in the region with thousands of files and interventions.
From the Community of Madrid it is noted that it is «is managing the response to the greatest rainfall episode of the last 135 years in the region and that total 18 days ».
This was highlighted today by the counselor Carlos Novillo, from the Isabel II Canal Control Center, located in Majadahonda, after presiding over the telematics meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Special Plan for the Risk of Flood (INUNCAM).
The Minister of the Community of Madrid, Carlos Novillo, at the Isabel II Canal Control Center, located in MajadahondaLEVEL 1 OPERATING SITUATION
Novillo has taken stock of the actions carried out by the emergency services of the Community of Madrid, Bgarlic the coordination of the Security and Emergency Agency Madrid 112 (ASEM112)and by the public company Canal de Isabel II, since the beginning of March as a result of the strong and continuous rainfall.
Thus, he has reported that The operational situation 1 of the Inuncam Plan will continue activelaunched on March 5 at its pre -emergency level. From that day, the Emergency Center 112 has managed 907 files related to rain, snowfall or wind. For its part, the Regional Fire Department has made 488 flood interventions, withdrawal of branches or tree falls.
The counselor said that «constant surveillance of flows and risk areas has been maintained And, although there have been floods at some points, we have not had any incidence of gravity.
Daily meetings with affected municipalities
In these 18 days of heavy rains in Madridthe INCAM Plan has remained on alert at its operational level 0 In six of them and 12 in 1. This situation It implies the maintenance of an integrated operational coordination center (Cecop), a Advanced command post (PMA) and the call of the Advisory Committee, which meets every day to analyze, among others, the situation of the rivers. The president of the regional government, Isabel Díaz Ayusohe presided last Thursday this telematic encounter with half a hundred mayors.
Thus, the CECOP has maintained constant communication with the affected municipalities. Daily, after the meeting of the Advisory Committee, another has been held with the municipal representatives for Inform them about the state of the emergency and know the incidents that occurred in their localities.
These, in addition, They were received 24 hours a day at the Municipal Coordination Center (CECOM), located in the Emergency Center 112, and communicated to the advanced command post.
Visit to the Isabel II Canal Control CenterDeployed equipment
In it deployed device For the ASEM112, it is, in addition to the fire department, the Forest agents, the immediate logistics response team of Civil Protection volunteers of the Community of Madrid (Erive), as well as the different groups of Civil Protection volunteers and local police. Along with them, also, the State Security Forces and Bodies.
These teams have been in charge of Continuously monitor the river flowscommunicating to the advanced command post, pointing out the sensitive points, beating the dangerous areas to avoid the passage of people or vehicles, YReralizing information about the land to citizens. In addition, they have collaborated with firefighters in different Achique interventions.
Volume in reservoirs
As for Canal de Isabel II, the Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Interior has stressed «the great work carried out by the public company for Maintain the protection levels that mark the exploitation rules of the dams and to be able to collect and regulate with guarantees the rains ».
In this regard, he has indicated that the 13 public company reservoirs registered the greatest contribution of its history on March 8. That day, with an average of 693.5 cubic meters per second, The 667 accounted for in January 1996.
A person observes the flood of the Manzanares River. (Photo: EP)Dams releasing water
In total, the reservoirs received throughout that March 8 a total of 59.9 cubic hectometers of water, The equivalent to the consumption of two months of the entire region.
Novillo has also detailed that, currently, andSAS 13 dams are releasing water to guarantee the hydrological security of these facilities and regulate the incoming flow. This is Pedrezuela, Navalmedio, La Jarosa, El Vado, Pinilla, Riosequillo, Viejas, El Villar, El Atazar, Navacerrada, Manzanares el Real, La Aceña and Valmayor.
These actions are notified by the public company both to the Hydrographic Confederation of the Tagus, Cuenca regulatory body, as well as the ASEM112.
Anticipation in reservoirs
Updated information about unwins is available continuously and updated in the public company website. The decisions about these unwins and other maneuvers are taken by analyzing flow dataAforos in rivers, weather forecasts and statistical series, as well as models of operation of the dams and study of their safety and auscultation instruments.
«Thanks to this, Channel can anticipate in decision making in dams In order to cushion the effects of the floods, retain the maximum possible volume and prevent downstream conditions of the dams, ”said the counselor.
The Nevado Navacerrada reservoir, on March 3, 2024, in Navacerrada, Madrid. (Photo: Europa Press)90% reservoirs
At the beginning of this March, the reservoirs of the Community of Madrid accumulated 684 cubic hectometers of water and were 72.6% of their capacity, while Today they are 90% with around 850 cubic hectometers stored.
In the first 22 days of March, the contributions received by these reservoirs They amounted to 458.55 cubic hectometers of waterwhen average for the whole month of March is 119 cubic hectometers.
This data, is more than half of everything received in the reservoirs of Canal de Isabel II since the hydrological year started in October (654.47 hm³).
