Thousands in Spain unable to return home as deluge brings fresh risk of floods

Thousands of Spaniards evacuated ahead of a fresh deluge of rain have been told not to return home as swollen riverbanks threaten to overflow.

- RACHEL HAGAN

Local authorities had issued severe rain alerts in Andalusia and Valencia and referenced further storms in the provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, Seville and Alicante on Wednesday night into yesterday.

While a number of those weather warnings were downgraded yesterday, emergency services in Malaga kept almost 4,000 people who were evacuated because of a flood risk out of their homes from rising river waters. Schools also stayed closed in the province and in different towns in Granada, Sevilla, Cadiz and Huelva. Half a million children in total stayed away from Andalusian schools on Wednesday.

More than a month’s worth of rain fell in some areas Wednesday just two weeks after the worst floods in the country’s modern history killed around 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes, particularly around Valencia.

According to data from the Spanish state weather forecaster Aemet, the highest rainfall recorded overnight included 110mm in Alcudia de Veo, 99mm in Suera, and 88mm in Chiva. By comparison, Malaga usually averages 100.5mm of rain for the entire month of November.

Andalusia’s regional head, Juan Moreno, of the conservative People’s Party (PP) said the Guadiaro river was just 6cm away from overflowing. He cautioned that “normal conditions are not in place”, despite the downgraded weather warnings.