Almost 3,000 people have been evacuated from areas near the Guadalhorce River in Malaga as Spain braces for yet more torrential rainfall.
Officials have issued urgent warnings to both locals and tourists in the Costa del Sol region, urging them to avoid travel due to an “extreme risk” of flooding.
The evacuation comes as weather alerts in the area were elevated from yellow to red, with authorities calling for “maximum caution” from residents.
The emergency response comes just two weeks after previous flooding incidents in the region, with officials taking preventive measures to ensure public safety.
The emergency response follows just two weeks after previous flooding incidents in the region, with officials taking preventive measures to ensure public safety – with some individuals going as far as covering their car in clingfilm
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Residents and holidaymakers have been contacted directly through mobile phone alerts warning of the extreme rainfall risk and advising against unnecessary travel.
Spain’s national weather service, Aemet, has placed several areas in the southern Andalusia region under red alert status, as forecasters have predicted that 120mm of rain will fall within a 12-hour period across the Costa del Sol and Malaga areas.
The severe weather warnings extend beyond Andalusia, with Tarragona in the eastern Catalonia region also placed under red alert for rainfall.
Multiple other regions across southern and eastern Spain are currently under amber alerts, indicating a significant risk of precipitation.
The warnings represent the highest level of weather alert in Spain, prompting authorities to implement immediate emergency measures.
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Over 1,000 educational facilities in Malaga and Granada have been closed as a precautionary measure against the anticipated severe weather conditions.
Andalusian Minister of the Presidency Antonio Sanz has called for “civic responsibility and maximum caution” from residents in affected areas.
Speaking about the evacuations, Sanz said: “We have not evacuated entire towns, but rather specific areas linked to the riverbank.”
He added that the decision had been communicated to the Spanish government to secure support from state security forces.
Preventive measures have followed recent flooding incidents where vehicles in Valencia were swept away by flood waters and left piled up in the streets (Stock)
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Local residents in Costa del Sol have been seen taking extraordinary precautions, with photos on social media showing cars being covered in plastic and secured to lampposts ahead of potential flooding.
These preventive measures come after recent flooding incidents where vehicles in Valencia were swept away by flood waters and left piled up in the streets.
Around 40 municipalities in Valencia have suspended outdoor activities and closed schools and universities.
Spanish King Felipe VI visited armed forces in Valencia on Wednesday who are assisting with clean-up operations from previous flooding, despite ongoing protests against the Royals, as well as the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
The flash floods from two weeks ago claimed at least 220 lives, primarily in the eastern Valencia region, marking Spain’s worst natural disaster in recent memory.
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