In brief
More than 3,000 citizens have been evacuated from areas near the inundated Guadalhorce River as torrential rains hit Málaga, with alerts spanning Catalonia and eastern Valencia after previous devastating floods.
The Costa del Sol region of Málaga is reeling under an onslaught of heavy rain, forcing the evacuation of over 3,000 residents due to rising water levels. The national weather agency, Aemet, has raised alerts to the highest level in both Málaga and several parts of northeastern Catalonia in anticipation of severe weather that is expected to persist until Friday. The torrential downpours are linked to a meteorological phenomenon called a "Dana," which leads to blocked weather systems causing prolonged rainfall. Areas such as Marbella, Velez, and Estepona are primed for the brunt of this extreme weather event, while parts of eastern Valencia are also under high alert just weeks after suffering catastrophic floods that claimed over 220 lives.As the storm bears down, schools throughout Málaga province are shuttered, and many businesses have closed their doors. Footage shared on social media depicted once-bustling streets transformed into rivers, devoid of pedestrians. The Minister of the Presidency for the Regional Government of Andalusia, Antonio Sanz, clarified that evacuations targeted specific riverside locales rather than entire towns, with the government coordinating with national security services for relief efforts.To compound the chaos, preparations for the Billie Jean King Cup tennis match between Spain and Poland were postponed due to the severe conditions. Aemet has warned of possible rainfall reaching 180mm in Catalonia within a mere 12 hours, along with thunderstorms threatening coastal areas.The risk of flooding remains high, notably across the eastern and southern Mediterranean regions. Valencia has also taken precautions, including suspending classes and sports, while efforts are ongoing to fortify vulnerable areas with sandbags. The ongoing rain from the current Dana system seems less severe compared to prior incidents, although concerns remain for affected communities still recovering from earlier disasters.Tragically, the past weeks have seen the recovery of the bodies of two young boys lost during the previous storm in Valencia, eliciting grief and heartfelt tributes from their family and community. Local and international rescuers continue to work in the region, highlighting the continuing threat posed by extreme weather events intensified by climate change.Climate experts are voicing urgent calls for awareness, with the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, Celeste Saulo, emphasizing that Spain's flooding underscores the critical message about the escalating capacity of rainfall driven by a warming climate.
