Spain Slowly Recovers From DANA Storms

Intense rainfall and flooding have led to evacuations, road closures, and service disruptions in many parts of Spain this week with the Andalucian city of Malaga particularly hit on Wednesday.

Over 3,000 people were moved from their homes overnight as flooding worsened, with emergency teams continuing evacuations this morning. Some of the worst flooding hit the city center, where streets, homes, and even parts of the Hospital Clínico were overwhelmed by rising water. Hospital staff have been working nonstop to clear water out of the affected areas, and only emergency services remain open for urgent cases.

The high speed rail link between Madrid and Málaga was briefly suspended, stranding hundreds of travellers and Málaga’s main María Zambrano station evacuated, while local bus services were temporarily halted.

Local rivers and dry river beds rarely carry water but are now overflowing and carving through neighbourhoods. The Arroyo Jaboneros, for instance, is running high through eastern Málaga, flooding parts of Pedregalejo and El Palo neighbourhoods.

Spanish weather forecaster AEMET also issued red alerts for the north eastern province of Tarragona saying it expected them to receive as much as 180 millimetres (7.1 inches) of rain within 12 hours that could cause rivers to overflow and generate flash floods.