A burst pipe has caused flooding on Paraná Street in Orihuela Costa during works to improve the stormwater drainage network. The incident happened on Monday outside Playas de Orihuela school, where a large column of water was seen rising from the street.

According to municipal sources, an excavator working to install new gullies dug deeper than intended, damaging a pipe. The council has said mains water supplies in this part of the coast will be cut for around four hours while the fault is repaired.

Orihuela City Council is installing a sustainable drainage system along the road under a contract awarded at the end of last year to Mistral 3000 for 150,000 euros. The project is funded through European Next Generation funds and has a four-month completion period.

The aim is to prevent flooding caused by run-off from Avenida California during moderate or heavy rainfall. The scheme, promoted by the Department of Tourism as part of the Tourism Sustainability Plan, includes the creation of a rain garden to collect and store surface water while adding a new green space.