Hope everyone's ok.

Hi Dave, thanks for the interest. This is what I sent in answer to emails from other concerned friends:

Left here 7.00 am Friday for Elche hospital. Had to make attempt as M needed more cancer pills. Nearly didn't make first Km. Couldn't see the road and went off it. Fortunately not a big drop off so was able to get back on.

Road to and out of Almoradí flooded in several places. With big wheels was able to get through it. If engine hadn't had a shield under it, or even worse had an old style HT coil, distributor and plug leads, I wouldn't have left home. Definitely wished I'd had a diesel.

After Dolores road wasn't bad.

Several hours at hospital. Oncologist happy and prescribed pills.

Got back to Dolores and road to Almoradí closed. Down San Fulgencio road and through Daya Nueva to Almoradí.

Road to Rafal closed at El Cruce crossroads. Back to Almoradí and up towards Benejúzar then along to ITV and up to Rafal. Some long flooded sections - probably at least 25cm deep.

All roads out of Rafal closed.

Fortunately friends spotted us and we spent night with them.

All roads in Rafal were rivers. One lad on a lilo was surfing down the high street.

Bomberos had evacuated a lot of properties and bunged mattresses in the town hall cinema. Local police got everyone to park on pavements to get them as high as possible. Lots of helicopters about, and had to winch up some people.

Another downpour and thunderstorm at 4.00 am Saturday morning, but when we got up in the morning Rafal roads didn't look too bad.

Tried to get home.

All normal options impassable.

Couldn't get under motorway to head up other side.

Ended up going down to Quesada, back up to Guardamar exit where AP7 was barriered off. Couldn't turn left so went to Guardamar and up N332.

Tried cutting through bottom road in the La Marina urb but impassable.

Further up N332 and across to Elche and onto A7.

OK down to Granja and then down to Callosa.

Back lane to our house passable, but had to turn round and try another lane at one point, then had to park and explore flooded section with legs to see how deep it was.

Finally got back home after doing over 100 km for what we normally do in 3 km.

Front veranda covered in an inch of liquid mud.

Inside house and workshop dry, but lots of water stains on suspended ceiling tiles.

Garden a disaster.

Pool overflowing and totally opaque, even though I'd checked and dosed it Wednesday and drained it down a good bit Thursday.

Haven't looked yet but suspect lake that was a garden will have got into pump cassette and blown pump. Should have turned pump power off before we left - expensive mistake.

Segura broke its banks at Benejúzar and Algorfa at least, and what we saw passing over it at Algorfa looked worse than last time it happened.

Supposedly worst gota fría in a century.

Just found out ELCB in garage tripped. Not brave enough to look in pump cassette today.

If I can get into Rafal tomorrow I'll be bringing back a couple of evacuees so they don't have to spend a third night in the town hall.

Just having another brew before we go back to wallowing in glorious mud.

Hope u get things sorted jim cant even thing what's gone through your head with the flooding 

Dreadful situation but glad you are both ok Jim.  

Hi Jim, Gosh you have been through it, sorry to read the above.  Glad Medic happy with Margaret.   Here is the information you will to make a claim with the Consortio:

The Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (the Insurance Compensation Consortium, or CCS) is a compulsory Government catastrophic risk insurance in Spain. It is an insurance tax charged on prescribed classes of insurance issued by private insurers, providing cover against a series of extraordinary perils and "political risks”

Note: This Government scheme covers direct physical damage only. It is expected that a company ensures their commercial insurance policy covers them against any resulting Business Interruption losses if necessary.

Below is a link to The Consortio web page [in English] – you have to make the claim yourself, do not expect your insurance company to do it.  Mine said they did it, but the Consortio said they never received anything from my insurance company.

https://www.consorseguros.es/web/en/ambitos-de-actividad/seguros-de-riesgos-extraordinarios/mas-informacion/el-recargo-y-su-tarifa

Jim,

Hope people are okay and that your properties get sorted out as soon as possible.    Very stressful for all and please be careful not to overdo the work of clearing up.

Thanks for that, appreciated. Main thing is we ourselves are OK, and house itself didn't get damaged apart from ceilings. We're just going to plod on slowly. Thank goodness for the mañana concept. Lots to do, but we'll take it slowly.

Might be having a couple of friends coming to live here while their house is sorted. I tried to get to it yesterday to see what it's like, but couldn't get near enough, and I'm too unsteady on my feet to have risked wading there. A younger Spanish neighbour of theirs was going to try yesterday, and we'll find out today what's happening.

Difficult to find the words for such devastation, thankful for the spirit within the communities and all working together to recover.  Glad to hear Jim and Margaret are ok and hoping and praying the best for everyone affected :)