Thousands Evacuated in Spain Amid New Flood Warnings: Heavy Rains Continue until Friday
Spain evacuated thousands of people on Wednesday due to warnings of heavy rain and storms, just two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other parts of Spain killed more than 200 people and caused devastation across the country.
Meteorologists have warned of ‘very heavy torrential rain and downpours’ with the provinces of Malaga, Granada, northern Castellón and southern Tarragona under threat, and the Valencian coast also on alert.
The national meteorological office AEMET has issued the highest red alert level for Tarragona, Málaga and Valencia, saying that these provinces are expected to receive 180 millimetres (7.1 inches) of rainfall over the next 12 hours.
An orange alert has been issued for Thursday for the southern province of Granada, which is forecast to receive between 40 and 120 mm (1.6 and 4.7 inches) of rainfall.
Heavy rains are forecast to continue through Friday.
Emergency services in Málaga reported that more than 1,000 homes and nearly 3,000 residents were evacuated.
Footage on social media shows the usually bustling commercial centre of Malaga devastated and cars struggling to rise with the rising water.
The start of the Billie Jean King Cup tennis final between Spain and Poland was delayed as 15 flights were cancelled, and five others diverted at Malaga airport, Spain's fourth busiest, operator Aena posted on X. Images on local television showed that the entrance to the airport was closed due to flooding.
Earlier on Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced an additional €3.76 billion aid package on top of the €10.6 billion in flood relief promised last week following the devastating storms that devastated the country in late October.
The recent flash floods, the deadliest in Spain's modern history, have hit various parts of the country, especially the eastern region of Valencia.
