Malaga flooding latest: Severe rain alert for parts of southern Spain as some homes flooded
Thousands were evacuated in Malaga as powerful storm hit Spain just weeks after deadly flash floods
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Your support makes all the difference.Severe weather alerts have been issued and thousands were evacuated as a powerful storm brought a month’s worth of rain to parts of Spain just weeks after deadly flash floods hit the country.
Malaga was hit first by the storm, with flooded hospitals forced to limit services and around 4,000 people in the region evacuated on Wednesday. Residents in Benamargosa described homes being “decimated” after the river running through the town’s centre burst its banks.
In Valencia – the region most badly hit by last month’s fatal floods, which killed more than 220 people – a red weather alert was lifted on Thursday morning after more than 100mm of rain fell in some areas, with little damage reported after a tense night.
But warnings remained in place in Spain’s southwest on Friday. Andalusian emergency authorities urged “extreme caution” as they reported callouts to flooded homes and streets, mainly from 6:30am onwards.
The Huelva coastline was subject to warnings for water spouts and up to 80mm of rain in 12 hours, while the Costa del Sol was also notified of strong winds and waves up to 3 metres tall.
Fuengirola lifts state of emergency after flooded streets and fallen trees
Authorities in Fuengirola, Malaga, have lifted the state of emergency put in force in response to the storm this week.
Mayor Ana Mula was quoted by Europa Press as saying: “There have been occasional traffic cuts, due to the amount of water that fell in a short period of time ... where traffic had to be interrupted for a few moments to allow the water to drain away.”
“There have also been some fallen trees on Avenida de Los Boliches, Calle Tejar and the Fairgrounds, but thanks to the responsibility and collaboration of the people of Fuengirola, everything has worked relatively well, taking into account the amount of water that fell in a very short time,” Ms Mula added.
Flights cancelled over Valencia as new storm hit
Out of the 296 commercial flights that were scheduled at Malaga-Costa Del Sol airport on Wednesday, 15 had been cancelled as of 8pm local time, and around five had been diverted, Spain’s airport group, Aena, said.
Aena had asked that anyone flying from Malaga-Costa Del Sol airport and Barcelona’s El Prat Airport on Wednesday check the status of their flight with their airline, as heavy rain and adverse weather were affecting approaches to both airlines.
As of Thursday afternoon, most flights coming into the airport were landing on time, while one Iberia flight coming in from Valencia had been cancelled, along with another to Paris and one to Stockholm. Most of the scheduled departures flying out from Malaga were also undisrupted.
It appears that Valenica’s airport was experiencing disruption, however, with FlightRadar is showing that around 20 flights scheduled to depart on Thursday had been cancelled as of Thursday afternoon.
Is it safe to travel to Spain and should I cancel my holiday after flooding disaster?
Travel chaos in Malaga has improved after dozens of flights were delayed and 15 cancelled following a powerful storm over the popular tourist destination.
High-speed train services in Malaga were also reopening on Thursday after trains were halted and stations were evacuated due to flooding, national rail infrastructure operator Adif said.
My colleague Amelia Neath has the latest travel advice:
Is it safe to travel to Spain? Should I cancel my Malaga holiday?
Severe weather in Spain is back over Malaga as flights and train travel were disrupted due to wind and rain
Evacuations ordered near river in Cadiz as water levels rise
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.
Teachers with pupils impacted by floods to be given emotional support courses
Spain’s department for education has drawn up plans for teachers with pupils impacted by the deadly floods to receive emotional support courses, Europa Press reported.
Fresh rains come after thousands protested floods response in Valencia
The latest storms, and robust preparations for their arrival, came after fierce criticism, primarily of local authorities but also national government, for their level of preparation for and warnings to citizens about last month’s fatal floods.
Just days prior to the recent rains, thousands of Spaniards took to the streets of Valencia to call for the city’s leader to step down.
Protestors carrying signs reading “You killed us!” marched towards Valencia’s city hall where they were met with riot police and beaten back with batons.
Thousands of protesters take to streets of Valencia following deadly flooding
Angry protesters are calling for Valencian president Carlos Mazón to resign after 219 people were killed in floods
‘It’s all destroyed’: Aftermath of deadly flash floods in Spain
Here is some footage from the aftermath of last month’s deadly flash floods, which marked the worst natural disaster in Spain’s living memory.
Valencia lifts ban on using cars
Valencia has lifted a ban on the use of private cars and allowed schools to reopen from midday after the worst of the storm passed, the spokesperson for the five million-strong region’s emergency committee, Rosa Touris, has told reporters.
A red weather alert was issued in the region on Wednesday evening, with an anxious night for many in areas worst hit during last month’s fatal floods.
Valencia says areas hardest-hit by deadly storms left unscathed
The emergency committee in Valencia, where there were concerns about the potential impact of more rainfall in areas with significant quantities of mud already and damaged sewage systems, said the areas affected by the deadly storms were not hit this time.
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