Heavy Rainfall Causes Chaos in Spain

Spain is currently grappling with a code red flood warning, with estimations of up to 180 liters/meter of rainfall. Eastern and southern Spain have been affected the most, prompting school closures and evacuations of approximately 3,000 people in the southern region due to the intense rains.

Flood Warnings and Evacuations

The state meteorological agency, Aemet, issued the code red warning for the provinces of Tarragona in Catalonia and Málaga in Andalusia, as of Wednesday. It also placed large areas of eastern and southern Spain on orange alert for torrential rain. Schools in the provinces of Málaga and Granada were closed, and around 3,000 people were evacuated from neighborhoods near the river Guadalhorce, which crosses the province of Málaga. Additionally, high-speed rail services between Málaga and Madrid were suspended.

The regional governments called on the population to exercise “extreme caution”. The regional government of Valencia, which faced criticism for its handling of the flood disaster, recommended that councils in affected areas close schools and encouraged people to work from home. By Wednesday evening, Aemet raised the alert level in the province of Valencia from orange to red.

Potential Impact of the Storm

Areas under code red, particularly those located on the coast, could accumulate almost 120 to 180 liters of rainfall per square meter in the next few hours, according to Aemet. The heavy rainfall is expected to continue until Thursday.

Despite the current storm not being as strong as the previous one, the impact could be severe due to the large amounts of mud already on the ground and the compromised state of the sewage system. Nearly 20,000 military and police personnel are still involved in cleanup operations in Valencia, the region worst hit by floods two weeks ago.

Preventive Measures and Ongoing Challenges

In Chiva, one of the worst affected localities, classes and sports activities were cancelled. In nearby Aldaia, workers piled sandbags to protect the town. “We are reinforcing flood gates that previous floods have collapsed,” said Antonio Ojeda, a municipal worker.

The search continues for the bodies of 23 people still missing after the October floods. On Wednesday morning, emergency crews recovered the bodies of two brothers, aged 3 and 5, who were swept away in the town of Torrent in Valencia.