Spain Faces Severe Weather Emergency with Thousands Evacuated
Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in southern Spain’s Costa del Sol region following a red weather alert for extreme rainfall and flooding. The Spanish Civil Protection Agency issued a mass phone alert in Málaga province on Tuesday evening, warning of an “extreme risk of rainfall” in tourist areas like Marbella, Velez, and Estepona.
The weather phenomenon, known as a “Dana,” is expected to bring torrential rain and low temperatures, coming just weeks after devastating flash floods that killed over 220 people. Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, particularly the coast near Tarragona, has also been placed on red alert until Wednesday evening.
Significant precautions have been taken across the region. In Málaga, schools have been closed, and many supermarkets remain shuttered. Approximately 3,000 people living near the Guadalhorce River have been instructed to evacuate. Regional government officials emphasized that only specific riverbank areas are being evacuated, not entire towns.
The severe weather has caused disruptions beyond evacuations. The Billie Jean King Cup tennis match between Spain and Poland has been postponed. Spain’s meteorological agency Aemet has placed parts of Valencia, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands on orange alert, signaling a significant meteorological event with potential danger to normal activities.
In a tragic development related to the previous flooding, rescue teams have located the bodies of two young brothers, Izan Matías (5) and Rubén Matías (3), who were swept away during the October 29 floods in Valencia. The boys were torn from their father’s arms during the torrent, and their bodies were recovered from different locations. Volunteers from across Spain and international rescue specialists from Mexico had been involved in the search efforts.
Meteorologists explain that Dana weather systems occur when an area of low pressure becomes “cut off” from the main jet stream. This causes the weather system to stall over a specific area, resulting in persistent rainfall for several days. The phenomenon is further intensified when colder high-altitude air meets warmer Mediterranean air.
While this current Dana is not expected to be as devastating as the October 29 event, authorities remain vigilant. The orange alert warns of rainfall and storms that could be “very strong to torrential” until Thursday. Local authorities continue to monitor the situation, with sandbags being deployed in some areas like the town of Aldaia to channel and prevent water from entering town centers.
The ongoing weather emergency highlights the increasing climate challenges facing Spain, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and intense in recent years.
