Malaga flooding latest: Severe rain alerts as homes ‘decimated’ after month’s worth of rainfall hits in hours
Thousands evacuated in Malaga as powerful storm hits Spain just weeks after deadly flash floods
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Severe weather alerts have been issued and thousands evacuated as a powerful storm brings a month’s worth of rain and high winds to Spain just weeks after deadly flash floods hit the country.
While a red alert in Valencia was lifted on Thursday morning after more than 100mm of rain fell in some areas, warnings remained in place. Dozens of emergency callouts were reported overnight, mostly in areas worst-hit by the previous floods, which killed more than 200 people.
Although the fresh rains appear to have brought limited damage, in the Malaga province, homes were “decimated” by flooding after a river burst its banks on Wednesday in the town of Benamargosa, as around 3,000 people living along the Guadalhorce River and reportedly a further 1,100 near the Vélez River were evacuated.
The city of Malaga’s main hospital was forced to limit services to emergencies only after becoming flooded.
The Costa del Sol, including popular tourist destinations like Marbella, Estepona, and Vélez, is bearing the brunt of the extreme weather phenomenon known as a “Dana”.
Huge amounts of rain fall overnight in Valencia
According to data from the Spanish state weather forecaster Aemet, the highest rainfall recorded overnight in Valencia on Wednesday into Thursday included 110 millimetres in Alcudia de Veo, 99mm in Suera, and 88mm in Chiva.
By comparison, Malaga usually averages 100.5 mm of rain for the entire month of November.
Guadiaro River just centimetres from overflowing
Andalusia’s regional head, Juan Moreno, of the conservative Popular Party (PP) said on Thursday afternoon that the Guadiaro River was just six centimetres away from overflowing.
He cautioned that “normal conditions are not in place,” despite the downgraded weather warnings.
The regional Andalusian government has ordered authorities in Cadiz to evacuate homes in three neighbourhoods near the Guadiaro River because of rising water levels.
The neighbourhoods are situated on the border between the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz. It is unclear how many people are impacted.
Full report: Thousands in Spain unable to return home as rain deluge brings fresh flood risk
Thousands of Spaniards evacuated ahead of a fresh deluge of rain have been told not to return home as as swollen riverbanks threaten to overflow.
Local authorities had issue severe rain alerts in Andalusia and Valencia and referenced further storms in the provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, Seville and Alicante on Wednesday night into Thursday.
While a number of those weather warnings were downgraded across Thursday, emergency services in Malaga kept almost 4,000 people who were evacuated because of a flood risk out of their homes from rising river waters. Schools also stayed closed in the province and in different towns in Granada, Sevilla, Cadiz and Huelva. Half a million children in total stayed away from Andalusian schools on Wednesday.
My colleague Rachel Hagan reports:
Thousands in Spain unable to return home as rain deluge brings fresh flood risk
More than a month’s worth of rain fell in some regions on Wednesday just weeks after floods killed more than 200
Malaga streets turn to rivers as floodwaters sweep through Costa del Sol town
Malaga streets turned to rivers on Wednesday as floodwaters sweep through the Costa del Sol.
Footage released by the Guardia Civil shows the river bursting its bank in Benamorgasa with vehicles submerged:
Video: Malaga streets turn to rivers as floodwaters sweep through Costa del Sol town
Malaga streets have turned to rivers as floodwaters sweep through the Costa del Sol. Footage released by the Guardia Civil shows the river bursting its bank in Benamorgasa with vehicles submerged. Around 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce River have been moved from their homes as a preventive measure. Spanish weather forecaster AEMET put Malaga on red alert on Wednesday (13 November), saying up to 70 millimeters (roughly three inches) of rain had accumulated in an hour. Parts of Tarragona province in the east also faced heavy rain and remained under red alert. The storm system affecting Spain is caused by warm air that collides with stagnant cold air and forms powerful rain clouds.
Watch: Cars and furniture lay piled up in mud as Spain reels from deadly floods
Spain struggles to get children back to school after deadly floods
While half a million children stayed away from Andalusian schools on Wednesday as a result of the latest storm, Spanish authorities had already been struggling to get children back in classrooms after last month’s deadly floods:
Spain struggles to get children back to school after deadly floods
Twenty-three people are still missing
Generation Snowflake? I couldn’t believe what I saw young people doing in the Valencia floods
Generation Snowflake? I couldn’t believe what I saw young people doing in Valencia
The young in Spain are often called the ‘glass generation’ as they’re so fragile. But they have proved themselves unbreakable and put us all to shame, writes Catherine Dolan – a Brit living in the region with her Spanish husband and four daughters
How Spain’s ‘catastrophic’ floods led to over 200 deaths
The latest storm comes on the back of Spain’s worst floods in recent memory, which left at least 217 people dead, submerged towns, toppled bridges and cut entire communities off from the outside world.
My colleague Stuti Mishra has more details on why the floods proved so dangerous:
How Spain’s ‘catastrophic’ floods led to over 200 deaths - explained through pictures
Floods left cars piled up like toys in streets, swallowed homes, and covered entire neighbourhoods in sludge as authorities report 217 fatalities
Pictured: Clean-up continues in Valencian municipality as streets choked with mud
Police, military and volunteers are continuing with cleaning operations in the flood-hit Valencian municipality of Paiporta.
City authorities activate emergency plans in Huelva
A coastal city close to Spain’s border with Portugal activated its emergency plan on Thursday afternoon after orange weather alerts were issued in the area.
Under the plans put in force by Huelva City Council, all public parks, municipal buildings and sports facilities were closed, while municipal workers were told to work remotely where possible, Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Citizens in the city were urged to take “maximum precaution”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments