High alert as Costa del Sol residents flee fresh storms

Fresh storms in Spain have left streets deluged and forced schools to close, two weeks after the worst floods in the country’s modern history, which killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

- RACHEL HAGAN, JANE DALTON

Residents in Spain’s Costa del Sol were forced to flee their homes when authorities issued a rare red alert for heavy rainfall. Streets were flooded in the southern Malaga province, which includes the tourist resort of Marbella. Around 3,000 people living along the Guadalhorce River and reportedly a further 1,100 near the Velez River have been evacuated, while the city of Malaga’s main hospital is now limiting services to emergencies only after it flooded.

Train services were cancelled between Malaga and Madrid and between Barcelona and Valencia. Valencia’s regional government restricted the use of private vehicles until today in areas hit by last month’s storm, when tsunami-like floods caused severe car pile-ups.

Coastal areas of Valencia were placed under the highest alert last night following forecasts of up to 7in (180mm) of rain within five hours.