Reservoirs are now only seven per cent full

The reservoirs of Cuber, pictured, and Gorg Blau, in the mountains near Lluc, were seven per cent full yesterday. This was a slight improvement over the same time last year, when they were 5.64 per cent full. According to EMAYA, rainfall at Gorg Blau has been three litres per square metre so far this month, which is negligible compared to the 386.5 litres per square metre in the whole of October last year. EMAYA said that there had been less rain than hoped for, but there is still time for more rain before the end of the year. But the situation is still causing concern, as the reservoirs now hold less water than in August, despite the desalination plants, which were brought into service to ease the chronic water shortage the island has been suffering for years. Six regions including the Balearics have been on alert for the past few days because of the threat of heavy rain and the possibility of flooding. But although it did rain in Majorca, most of the rain fell at sea. Valencia was the worst hit region and drivers were warned not to leave their cars in dry water courses or near the banks of rivers.