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”.
Key points
- Red weather alert lifted in Valencia after emergency line receives 100 calls overnight
- Homes ‘decimated’ in Malaga village after river bursts its banks
- Further 1,100 people evacuted in Malaga due to river flooding, reports local media
- Further hospital closures across the region
Schools remain closed in Malaga
12:08
Andy Gregory
With the situation in Malaga returning to normal after yesterday’s downpours brought flooding, schools will still remain closed throughout the province on Thursday, EFE reports.
Firefighters attend 14 rescues in Valencia, report says
11:49
Andy Gregory
Firefighters are continuing to pump water and clean facades hit by landslides in the north Valencian province of Castellon, where they have carried out nearly 100 services related to the rains since 2pm on Wednesday, Europa Press reports.
Of those, 14 have been rescues affecting 33 people, while the other callouts relate to pumping floodwaters from homes and clearing landslides, El Mundo reported.
Relief as Valencia weather alerts downgraded
11:20
Andy Gregory
Weather alerts in Valencia have now been downgraded again to yellow warnings, with reports of supermarkets and other services reopening after a “tense” night.
Forecaster Aemet is still warning that up to 80mm of rain could fall within 12 hours in some areas.
Spanish news agency EFE reported authorities in parts of Valencia worst-hit by the recent floods as describing it as a “relatively calm” but “tense” night after red weather alerts were issued yesterday evening.
10:44
Andy Gregory
A coastal city close to Spain’s border with Portugal has activated its emergency plan 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 will be closed, while municipal workers who can do so are told to work remotely, Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Citizens in the city have been urged to take “maximum precaution”.
Months’ worth of rain falls in Valencia
10:27
Andy Gregory
More than a month’s worth of rain has fallen in parts of Valencia.
Citing Aemet data, El Pais reported that the highest rainfall records overnight were 110mm in Alcudia de Veo, 99mm in Suera and 88mm in Chiva.
Pictured: Residents in Malaga village clear streets after river burst its banks
10:05
Andy Gregory
Here are some of the latest pictures from Benamargosa, where residents described houses being “decimated” after the river running through the centre of the village burst its banks yesterday.
Mapped: Where are current weather alerts in force?
09:36
Andy Gregory
Here is the latest map showing the weather alerts issued by Spain’s national forecaster Aemet.
On the east coast, Valencia remains subject to an orange alert, with up to 100mm of rain forecast in the space of 12 hours. In the west, organge alerts are also in force in Huelva, Andévalo and Condado, Aracena, Seville, Cadiz, Narrow and Grazalema.
Lesser yellow warnings are also in force further north in Avila, southern Salamanca and northern Caceres, as well as along the coastlines of Granada and Almeria, and inland at Murcia, Alcaraz and Segura. The northwest coastline, above Portugal, is also subject to alerts over gale-force winds.
Homes ‘decimated’ in Malaga village after river bursts its banks
09:23
Andy Gregory
An expat living in a town in Malaga has described homes and businesses being “decimated” after the river running through its centre burst its banks.
Andrew Poole, who lives in Benamargosa, said: “We’re about 40 minutes away from Malaga in a little village. Normally the river that flows through is dry, it’s actually used as the local car park.
“We got an alert on our phone on the evening before the storms hit, a red alert for the whole area, and then the waters started to come down and it didn’t stop. And then it got worse, and the water levels just started to rise.
“At teatime yesterday, the river itself burst its banks right in the heart of the village ... the emergency services, the locals, everyone’s pulling together, working all the way through the night just trying to clear some of the roads in and out so people who have been trapped by the floodwaters, the emergency services can get in to see them.
“Everyone’s houses, businesses [have been] fully decimated. It’s just so sad.”
He added: “We’ve been really lucky here. I think without the red warning there would have been a lot more casualties. As far as I’m aware, I don’t think there has been any here. We were fully prepped to stay indoors and stay away from the floodwaters.”
Water spout forms over sea in Malaga
09:09
Andy Gregory
A water spout was pictured yesterday forming over the sea off the coast of Malaga.
Warning issued over three-metre waves
09:07
Andy Gregory
Warnings have been issued along the coastlines of Granada and Almeria over the potential for waves to reach two to three metres high.
The alerts by Spanish forecaster Aemet, which are in force until midnight, also warn that winds speeds could reach 60km per hour.
Valencia emergency line receives 100 calls overnight
08:35
Andy Gregory
The Spanish emergency line 112 received 100 calls in Valencia overnight and handled 80 incidents, El Pais reports.
Most incidents were in the Camp del Turia and Horta Sud areas, which were heavily affected by the floods a fortnight ago and where an intensive clean-up operation is still under way.
Red weather alerts lifted in Valencia
08:21
Andy Gregory
Red weather alerts have been lifted in Valencia after initially coming into force at 6pm on Wednesday.
National forecaster Aemet said: “The worst of this second storm has passed.
“We have lowered the warning to orange on the coast of Valencia and raised it to orange on the northern coast of Alicante, where it is now raining heavily on the beaches of Dénia.”
Where has rain been heaviest as new flooding hits Spain?
07:48
Albert Toth
Over 3,000 people have now been evacuated from Malaga as a powerful storm brings heavy rains to Spain. It comes just weeks after devestating flooding in Valencia, on the country’s east coast, killed over 200 people.
A weather map shows where has been hardest hit by the rain. Malaga can be seen highlighted in red in the South, as some parts of the north east (nearer Barcelona) also see storms.
In pictures: Torrential rain lashes Spain just two weeks after deadly flash floods
07:00
Tara Cobham
Is it safe to travel to Spain and should I cancel my holiday after flooding disaster?
06:00
Tara Cobham
Dozens of flights have been delayed and disrupted after a powerful storm bringing strong winds and heavy rain has barrelled over popular tourist destination Costa del Sol in Spain.
Thousands of residents have been evacuated along the Guadalhorce River west of Malaga due to a high risk of flooding, while hospitals have already been overwhelmed with water as medics have been pictured wading through water in ward corridors.
Spanish airport authorities have asked that those flying out of Malaga’s airport and El Prat Airport in Barcelona to check with their airline before they travel for flight updates.
My colleague Amelia Neath reports:
Finals of Billie Jean King tennis tournament in Malaga cancelled due to heavy rain
05:00
Tara Cobham
The finals of the Billie Jean King tennis tournament in Malaga were cancelled due to the heavy rain.
Pictures show the rain soaked venue, the Martín Carpena pavilion, on Wednesday, with the event postponed to Friday.
Watch: Heavy rain hits Valencia while region still recovering from recent floods
04:00
Tara Cobham
Non-essential activities cancelled and citizens told to work from home
03:00
Tara Cobham
Many municipalities in flood-hit areas have cancelled all non-essential activities, and told citizens to work from home and follow emergency services' updates.
Volunteers have also been asked to suspend clean-up operations and piling up sandbags for extra protection following the devastation of the extreme weather that hit Spain two weeks ago.
The coming storms also obliged the suspension of rescue efforts by teams still searching for missing people off the coast of Valencia, Spain's maritime rescue service said.
Impact of rain in hard-hit Valencia could be severe, warns local official
02:00
Tara Cobham
The impact of the rain could be severe in Valencia after the region was hit hardest by the extreme weather that lashed Spain two weeks ago, a spokesperson for its emergency committee has warned.
Rosa Tauris told reporters on Tuesday this is because of the significant quantities of mud already on the ground and because of the condition of the sewage system in the province.
Watch: Torrential rain in Spainish village Benidoleig
01:00
Tara Cobham
New storms and flooding in Spain close schools and cause train cancellations
00:00
Tara Cobham
New storms in Spain caused school closures and train cancellations on Wednesday, two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
In southern Malaga province, streets were flooded, while 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce river were moved from their homes as a preventive measure. Schools across the province were closed, along with many stores. Trains traveling between Malaga and Madrid on the high-speed AVE rail line were cancelled.
There were no reports of any deaths.
Read more here:
Residents concerned as workers build barrier to try to contain water in Malaga
Wednesday 13 November 2024 23:30
Tara Cobham
Workers were earlier building a plastic barrier in Malaga to try to contain the water that sewers could no longer take.
In the area’s Campanilla district near to a tributary of the Guadalhorce River, resident Miguel Espinosa said: “People are very worried because five years ago the river rose almost one metre above street level. The walls of the school collapsed. Residents' houses were flooded, their basements ... it was a real disaster.”
Watch: Thousands evacuate as torrential rain hits Malaga
Wednesday 13 November 2024 23:00
Tara Cobham
Spanish labour minister urges people to not go to work in areas on red alert
Wednesday 13 November 2024 22:30
Tara Cobham
The Spanish labour minister has urged people to not go to work in areas that are on a red alert due to the risks posed by the extreme weather.
Yolanda Díaz, who is also the second vice president of the government, said: “We are on red alert and, therefore, you do not have to take risks, you must not go to work.”
Aemet, the Spanish weather agency, has issued red weather warnings for areas of Malaga and Tarragona due to the torrential rain.
El peso de la ley caerá sobre quieres hoy siguen poniendo en riesgo la seguridad de las personas trabajadoras. pic.twitter.com/bH0kRMCAR7
— Yolanda Díaz (@Yolanda_Diaz_) November 13, 2024
Citizens receive texts from government warning them of powerful storm
Wednesday 13 November 2024 22:00
Tara Cobham
Citizens have received text messages from the government warning them of the powerful storm that is hitting regions in Spain.
Juanma Moreno, Andalusia's regional head from the conservative opposition PP party that also runs Valencia region, said prevention was better than cure and his government sent text messages to citizens to alert them.
"I know that the province of Malaga is, to a large extent, paralysed with the measures adopted, but the objective of all of us is to minimise the impact [of the storm]," Mr Moreno said.
Emergency measures implemented after criticism of preparation for last storm
Wednesday 13 November 2024 21:30
Tara Cobham
Emergency measures have been implemented in Spanish regions affected by the latest storm after authorities were accused of a lack of preparation ahead of the last bout of extreme weather that hit the country.
Classes have been suspended in schools in Malaga, Valencia and some municipalities of Catalonia.
Two metro lines have been closed or partially closed in Malaga, along with three highways deemed at risk of flash floods.
In Valencia, where the regional government and Red Cross handed out jackets and blankets to prepare those hit by previous floods for the inclement weather, Gandia cargo and passenger port was closed, and the finals of the Billie Jean King tennis tournament in Malaga were postponed to Friday.
Spain's Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz and unions reminded workers that they were not legally obliged to go to work if weather conditions made it unsafe for them to do so.
The emergency measures come after fierce criticism, primarily of local authorities but also national government, for their level of preparation for and warnings to citizens about the 29 October storm and resulting floods.
What is causing the storms in Spain
Wednesday 13 November 2024 21:00
Tara Cobham
The autumnal storm system affecting Spain is caused by warm air that collides with stagnant cold air and forms powerful rain clouds.
It is known locally as DANA, a high-altitude isolated depression.
The pattern is believed to be growing more frequent due to climate change, with experts saying that drought and flood cycles are increasing with the climate crisis.
Full story: Thousands evacuated in Malaga over ‘extreme rainfall’ alert as fears loom of more flooding
Wednesday 13 November 2024 20:30
Tara Cobham
Thousands of residents in Spain’s Costa del Sol have been evacuated over fears a new weather front that could bring flooding again to the region.
Two weeks after the worst floods in the country’s modern history killed more than 200 people, authorities issued a rare red alert for heavy rainfall in Malaga, prompting the evacuation of around 3,000 people living along the Guadalhorce River.
Spain’s meteorological agency Aemet issued orange and red alerts for parts of Andalusia, Catalonia, and Valencia, warning that prolonged and intense rainfall could push rivers to dangerous levels, threatening lives and buildings.
My colleague Rachel Hagan has the full story:
Dozens of animals facing danger amid floods are safely rescued in Malaga
Wednesday 13 November 2024 20:00
Tara Cobham
Dozens of animals who were in danger as a stream overflowed in Malaga have been safely rescued, the city council has confirmed.
The 41 horses and 39 dogs were saved from the Málaga Equestrian Club by emergency services this afternoon, according to Malaga’s city council.
⚠️ Cuatro unidades de Policía Local, incluido el Gruprona, Bomberos y Servicios Operativos del distrito Este han logrado excarcelar a 39 perros y 41 caballos del Club Hípico Málaga, que estaban en peligro por el desbordamiento de un arroyo. Todos han sido rescatados con vida. pic.twitter.com/giFyZyBHX7
— Ciudad de Málaga (@malaga) November 13, 2024
Bus services to and from Malaga cancelled
Wednesday 13 November 2024 19:30
Tara Cobham
Bus services to and from Malaga have been suspended by Spain’s leading bus company.
Alsa made the announcement this evening, citing the “adverse weather conditions”, and confirmed that other services in areas affected by the storm have also been suspended.
⚠️ INFO SUSPENSIONES
— Alsa (@Alsa_autobuses) November 13, 2024
Debido a climatología adversa hemos suspendido todos los servicios con origen-destino Málaga, así como otros servicios de la zona afectada por el temporal, hasta que la situación se normalice.
Puedes consultar el estado de tu viaje en… pic.twitter.com/5qi20Aorqc
In pictures: Powerful storm brings torrential rain and high winds to Spain – again
Wednesday 13 November 2024 19:24
Tara Cobham
Valencia’s council closes underpasses to traffic and warns residents to not leave home
Wednesday 13 November 2024 19:16
Tara Cobham
Valencia’s city council has closed the area’s underpasses to traffic and warned its residents to not leave their homes.
It comes as the weather alert for the region of Valencia has been raised to red, the highest level.
⚠️Ante la alerta roja en ciudad de #València, establecida por @AEMET_CValencia y el @GVA112 , adoptamos las siguientes medidas:
— Ajuntament València (@AjuntamentVLC) November 13, 2024
Cierre al tráfico de los pasos inferiores
Cierre de instalaciones deportivas, bibliotecas, centros culturales, museos y centros de juventud
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/teLqZm2Lk9
Further 1,100 people evacuted in Malaga due to river flooding, reports local media
Wednesday 13 November 2024 18:50
Tara Cobham
A further 1,100 people have reportedly been evacuated in Malaga – this time due to the flooding of the Vélez River.
Spanish newspaper El País reports a total of more than 4,000 people have now been evacuated in the region as a storm lashes the country.
DIRECTO #dana | 1.100 personas desalojadas en Vélez-Málaga ante la crecida del río Vélez. Con ellas, son ya más de 4.000 los desalojados en la provincia https://t.co/EIlW4uaToJ pic.twitter.com/qcBeW6gUcA
— EL PAÍS (@el_pais) November 13, 2024
Red weather warning for Tarragona has been lifted
Wednesday 13 November 2024 18:19
Tara Cobham
The red weather warning for Tarragona has been lifted, according to the Spanish weather forecaster.
Aemet announced this evening that because “the situation has improved in the area”, the alert that was supposed to be in place until 10pm has now been downgraded to the orange level.
13/11 18:18 #AEMET actualiza #FMA en Cataluña. Activos HOY y MAÑANA. Nivel máx naranja. Imagen del mapa de avisos en vigor a las 18:18 . Para ver una tabla de avisos actualizada haga CLIC EN LA IMAGEN o visite https://t.co/VSmZUB8rNB https://t.co/NHcUh7MwgQ
— AEMET_Cataluña (@AEMET_Cat) November 13, 2024
Weather alert in Valencia raised to red just weeks after deadly flash floods hit region hardest
Wednesday 13 November 2024 17:53
Tara Cobham
The weather alert in Valencia has been raised to red – the maximum level – just two weeks after the province became the hardest-hit area in deadly flash floods.
Aemet, Spain’s weather forecaster, issued the fresh warning just after 6pm, local time, announcing that it will be in force today and tomorrow due to the rain.
Valencia joins Malaga and Tarragona, which are already under the maximum alert level red.
13/11 18:18 #AEMET actualiza #FMA por lluvias en C. Valenciana. Activos HOY y MAÑANA. Nivel máx rojo. Imagen del mapa de avisos en vigor a las 18:18 . Para ver una tabla de avisos actualizada haga CLIC EN LA IMAGEN o visite https://t.co/8qVmJoVdek https://t.co/BSRqZbTQhr
— AEMET_C. Valenciana (@AEMET_CValencia) November 13, 2024
Train service between Valencia and Barcelona impacted by extreme weather
Wednesday 13 November 2024 17:30
Tara Cobham
The train service between Valencia and Barcelona has been impacted by the extreme weather, according to Spain’s railway network manager.
ADIF reported this afternoon that the Valencia-Barcelona line between Castelló and Cambrils “is interrupted due to the weather conditions in the area”.
Está interrumpida la circulación de la línea Valencia-Barcelona entre Castelló y Cambrils por las condiciones meteorológicas de la zona.
— INFOAdif (@InfoAdif) November 13, 2024
Torrential rains also lash Valencian Community
Wednesday 13 November 2024 17:04
Tara Cobham
Torrential rains are also lashing the Valencian Community, according to the Spanish weather agency.
Aemet, the state meteorological agency, reported a rain guage on a river in Traiguera, Castellón, recorded 106 litres per square metre – more than half in the last hour.
“The intensity is torrential,” the Valencian arm of the agency said this afternoon.
En el pluviómetro de Traiguera de la @CHJucar situado en el rio Sèrvol, se han registrado 106.4 l/m2, más de la mitad en la última hora. La intensidad es torrencial.
— AEMET_C. Valenciana (@AEMET_CValencia) November 13, 2024
Benamargosa River partially bursts banks
Wednesday 13 November 2024 16:43
Rachel Hagan
The Benamargosa River in the Axarquia region has partially burst over its banks, El Pais has reported.
The river’s level has surged rapidly in recent hours after the overflow of the nearby Solano dam, which usually protects the area.
“We advise residents to remain indoors. In flood-prone areas, please move to higher floors and avoid approaching the riverbed,” the Benamargosa Town Hall announced around 4 pm.
The overflow has impacted several fields and some homes in the area.
All train services in Malaga stopped
Wednesday 13 November 2024 16:18
Rachel Hagan
All train services in Malaga province have been halted, including the high speed train between Madrid and Malaga, while Malaga’s train station was evacuated due to flooding, national rail infrastructure operator Adif has said.
Where are the red weather warnings in place?
Wednesday 13 November 2024 15:58
Rachel Hagan
At the time of writing, there are four red weather warnings in place across the country in eastern Tarragona and southern Malaga provinces.
The warning says they can expect to receive as much as 7.1 inches per square metre of heavy to torrential rain within 12 hours which could cause rivers to overflow and generate flash floods.
The warnings are for: - Sun and Guadalhorce, Malaga- Axarquia, Malaga- Tarragona’s southern coast
Anger grows over Valencia chief’s long lunch on day of floods
Wednesday 13 November 2024 15:27
Rachel Hagan
On the day that catastrophic floods devastated Spain‘s Valencia region, which left around 220 people dead, the region’s top official was reportedly at a long lunch until about 6pm, with water already suring suring through towns.
Growing public anger came to a head on Saturday when 130,000 people took to the streets of Valencia and called for Mr Mazon’s resignation. Photos of the protest showed signs saying: “You killed us”, and “Our hands are stained with mud, yours with blood.”Mr Mazon’s office confirmed that he had lunch at a restaurant near the regional government headquarters in Valencia but declined to disclose his dining companion. According to Spanish media, he did not leave the restaurant until 6pm, by which time the town of Utiel was already flooded and the national weather service, Aemet, had issued a red alert. His government’s emergency meeting had started an hour earlier, at 5pm.
Mr Mazon’s conservative people’s party has called on him to explain his movements. He pledged to provide answers when he appears in parliament this week and said on Monday, according to EuroNews, that “mistakes may have been made.”
Bodies of missing Spanish boys found two weeks after flash floods
Wednesday 13 November 2024 15:11
Rachel Hagan
The bodies of two young brothers who went missing in floods that struck Spain’s eastern Valencia region two weeks ago have been found, the Civil Guard confirmed on Wednesday.
Ruben and Izan Matias Calatayud, aged 3 and 5, were found in separate locations near Catarroja, 6 miles downstream from their home in Torrent, a suburb of Valencia city, where they went missing when the floods hit at the end of October.
Their aunt Barbara Sastre told Spain’s state TVE last week that the boys’ mother was working in Valencia and their father was with them at the family home when the flood hit.
“The three of them were dragged out,” she said. Their unnamed father tried to keep hold of them, but they were swept away by the tide of water, state news agency EFE reported.
He survived by grabbing hold of a tree, TVE added.
Sastre told TVE that the wait for news had left the family “destroyed”.
Further hospital closures across the region
Wednesday 13 November 2024 14:56
Rachel Hagan
The Andalusian Government has announced that all health centres in the city of Malaga, Nerja, Torrox, Colmenar, Rincon de la Victoria will be closed that afternoon.
Others in Fuengirola, Torremolinos and Benalmádena will also be closed. Almost all of the centres in the province have already been closed since 3pm.
The Regional Hospital, known as Carlos Haya, has also cancelled all its scheduled activity for the afternoon.
This is all in addition to the flooding that has affected the Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital in Malaga, where they are only providing care in A&E.
