Thousands evacuated as heavy flooding hits Spain anew

International

SEVERE thunderstorms and torrential rain have once again struck coastal Spain, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes just two weeks after deadly floods devastated Valencia and surrounding areas.

In the latest disaster, nearly 3,000 people were evacuated in the Malaga region, where intense rainfall overwhelmed the area.

Antonio Sanz, director of the Emergency Plan for Flood Risks in Andalusia, confirmed that around 1,000 homes were also impacted.

Five communities near the Guadalhorce River were evacuated as a precaution against potential flooding.

Malaga city, located in the southern Andalusia region, received a month's worth of rainfall in just one hour on Wednesday, according to Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET.

The city saw approximately 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain, with 78 millimeters (3 inches) falling in just 60 minutes.

For comparison, Malaga typically averages 100.5 millimeters of rain for the entire month of November.

AEMET has issued red weather warnings for the Andalusia and Catalonia regions due to the severity of the rainfall, which has led to impassable roads and flooded buildings.

The Malaga City Council has ordered evacuations near the Campanillas River, as authorities fear it could overflow.

In addition, Spain’s Ministry of Transport suspended train services between Malaga and Madrid due to water accumulation on the tracks.

The severe weather disrupted plans in the region, including the Billie Jean King Cup match between Spain and Poland, which was postponed due to safety concerns.

The rain is expected to persist throughout the evening, with some areas of Malaga and Granada receiving up to 180 millimeters (7 inches) of additional rainfall.

This has led to widespread school closures in Malaga province and surrounding areas such as Seville, Cádiz, and Huelva, which are under an orange warning for heavy rain.

In Valencia, where the situation remains dire, the regional government has issued a red warning for Thursday.

Spain's Minister for Transport, Óscar Puente, announced that non-essential travel on Valencia’s roads would be restricted starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The City Council also declared the suspension of school activities in Valencia city and its surrounding districts on Wednesday and Thursday.

The storms come just weeks after catastrophic flooding in Valencia, which claimed over 220 lives, marking Spain's worst deluge in decades.

The recent devastation has sparked public outcry, with protests in Valencia calling for the resignation of regional president Carlos Mazón, accusing him of a slow response to the deadly floods.(CMM)