Spanish weather agency AEMET placed parts of the southern region of Andalusia under the highest red alert for torrential rain, warning that Storm Leonardo risked triggering floods and landslides.
An “extraordinary amount of rain” was arriving in a region where “the ground is very saturated and riverbeds are already carrying a lot of water” from recent precipitation, AEMET spokesman Ruben del Campo said.
More than 3,000 residents were evacuated from flood-prone areas on Tuesday as a precaution, Andalusian emergency services said.
Hundreds of soldiers deployed to assist the rescue services, while all Andalusian schools were closed apart from in the region’s easternmost province of Almeria.
In October 2024, Spain suffered its deadliest floods in decades with more than 230 people killed, mostly in the eastern region of Valencia.
In neighbouring Portugal, where severe weather killed five people last week, part of the coast was under an orange alert as Leonardo swept in from the Atlantic Ocean.
Northern and central regions of the country were under alert for expected heavy snowfall, with strong winds and precipitation due to continue until Saturday.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is making extreme weather events longer, more frequent and more intense.
