Thirteen people were evacuated from the AP-7 tunnels in Pilar de la Horadada on the night of Monday 19 October after floodwater trapped them in their vehicles. They received assistance and food at the municipal shelter and were subsequently taken home in stages with support from Civil Protection.
The Civil Guard received the flood alert at 23:00 on Monday. Several people were inside their cars in the tunnel and had to be evacuated, according to information provided by the force.
Local Police and the Civil Guard carried out the rescue. An ambulance and municipal medical staff were also sent to the scene. The rescued people were reported to be in good condition in the municipal information gathered after the operation.
Mud and stranded vehicles after the water receded
By mid-morning on Tuesday 20 October, all four lanes of the affected stretch remained closed to traffic. Although no water remained inside the tunnel, there was still a substantial accumulation of mud and several stranded vehicles. Cleaning and vehicle removal work was under way and was expected to take several hours.
The N-332, which runs parallel to the motorway, was listed as the alternative route for drivers affected by the closure. The closed section covered approximately four kilometres of the AP-7 in the south of Alicante province.
Assistance at the municipal shelter
The thirteen evacuees were able to dry off at the shelter after arriving wet from the flooding. Municipal assistance included food before their staggered return to their homes, in which Civil Protection helped.
Those affected were expected to return to collect their vehicles on Tuesday, provided conditions in the area allowed them to do so.
The incident happened during the intense rainfall that moved into southern Alicante as part of the weather system known as DANA Adam. The storm brought around 50 litres of rain per square metre in just over 45 minutes, flooding the tunnels on the Alicante–Cartagena motorway.
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