Girona area affected by power outages, water shortages and overflowing rivers

Storm Gloria has lost force after battering Catalonia and the surrounding regions for the past four days, and while it is no longer raining, the northern Girona area cannot yet let its guard down.

The city of Girona and surrounding towns including Salt and Sarrià de Ter have suffered a drinking water shortage as of Thursday afternoon since the local water company, Aigües de Girona, has been unable to supply water from the nearby Pasteral reservoir.

While the company and authorities are working on resolving the issue, they have announced that, for now, the affected households will only be supplied with running water for an hour this evening and two tomorrow morning if the problem is not fixed.

Another 4,000 Girona residents have also been affected by a power outage as a result of a fallen electrical tower.

While heavy rains this week have caused flooding all throughout Catalonia, the Ter and Onyar rivers are still at risk of bursting their banks beyond the points that have already done so, including in Girona's Sant Ponç, Pont Major and Pedret neighborhoods.  

The reservoirs of Sau and Susqueda, also on the northern Ter river, are at maximum capacity and have an elevated risk of flooding, with Catalan interior minister Miquel Buch calling on locals to "exercise utmost caution" in the area.

Reactions to storm

Elsewhere, agriculture minister Teresa Jordà, spoke of "soul breaking" scenes after the Tordera river burst its banks. She assured that her department will be diligent in recovering the crops affected.

Hugo Morán, Spain's environment state secretary, said that the flooding and damage in the Ebre delta caused by Storm Gloria "surpassed our worst expectations."