Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes near the Costa del Sol for fear of further flooding after a weather alert for the area was upgraded from yellow to red and locals and tourists were warned of an “extreme risk”.
The Spanish Civil Protection Agency sent a massive alert last night to mobile phones in the province of Malaga shortly after 10:00 p.m. warning in Spanish and English: ‘Red notice activated. Extreme risk of rain. Be very careful, avoid traveling.’
Malaga residents are so fearful of a repeat of the damage caused by the Valencia floods late last month that many were seen tying their cars to streetlights and wrapping them in plastic to limit exposure to water.
In a move estimated to have affected more than 300,000 students, it was announced that all schools in the province would remain closed today.
Previously, a “preventive” evacuation of some 3,000 people living in approximately 1,000 homes began near the Guadalhorce River, one of the areas most affected by the torrential rains and storms of a fortnight ago to which the death of a 71-year-old British man was attributed. years. expatriate.
The famous Costa del Sol, including the resorts of Marbella and Estepona, are expected to bear the brunt of the extreme weather phenomenon known as DANA, a cold snap that was the cause of catastrophic flash floods that killed more than 200 people in and around. only the city of Valencia, on the east coast.
Malaga residents wrap their cars in plastic to limit exposure to water
They also tied their cars to streetlights, after the scenes of mass destruction in Valencia
Yellow, orange and red warnings are issued in the surroundings of Malaga and Marbella
It had yet to start raining at first light on the famous stretch of coast this morning, but things are expected to change around 10am local time and the red weather warning will remain in effect until midnight.
The regional government deputy, Antonio Sanz, admitted last night when announcing today’s residential evictions and school closures: ‘The situation in the province of Malaga is one of extreme risk.
“The forecast was that we were going to be on yellow alert but the meteorological agency Aemet has raised it to red.”
Residents of specific areas near the Guadalhorce River in inland towns such as Álora, Cártama and Alhaurín de la Torre have been moved from their homes to temporary shelters, including sports centres, where they cannot find alternative accommodation with friends or family.
The British retiree who died in a hospital in Malaga fifteen days ago had been rescued hours before from his flooded house in one of the areas at risk of hypothermia after suffering a heart attack.
Yesterday afternoon locals were photographed boarding up the doors of their homes or placing sandbags in front of them as they prepared for what was to come.
The warning for the Costa del Sol region comes after catastrophic flash flooding that killed more than 200 people in and around the east coast city of Valencia alone (pictured)
A man cleans his house after heavy rain and flooding hit much of the country on November 4, 2024 in Paiporta, Spain.
People also began to accumulate stocks, and supermarkets in some areas of Malaga were reported to be empty of products such as mineral water and meat.
Castellón, north of Valencia, another of the areas placed on red alert, learned early about the latest extreme climate phenomenon that affects Spain.
Cities such as Benicarló, which hosts a famous annual music festival, and Vinaros are among the worst affected places.
Rubbish bins ended up floating through flooded streets last night as motorists struggled to avoid them.
The closure of schools today due to bad weather will also affect thousands of children in the northern part of the Costa Blanca, including Denia and Calpe, near Benidorm.
A firefighter helps clean up the flood-affected municipality of Paiporta, Valencia province, Spain, November 12, 2024
Volunteers help clean the municipality of Paiporta, province of Valencia, Spain, affected by floods, November 12, 2024
The city of Valencia and some of its suburban towns, still recovering from the terrible floods at the end of last month, also decided to suspend classes.
A completely dry summer in Spain has given way to an autumn of strange weather phenomena.
Last Friday, residents of Cadaqués, in the northern Spanish province of Girona, woke up to a scene of destruction after 32 cars were swept away by flood waters.
Many ended up piled up next to a bridge in front of the city’s casino, and at least one of the wrecked vehicles appeared to belong to foreign tourists due to its clearly visible license plate.
A man pulls a shopping cart across a bridge after flooding in Catarroja left hundreds dead or missing in the Valencia region of Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
Mud is collected after flooding in Catarroja that left hundreds dead or missing in the Valencia region of Spain, Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
A man walks past stacked cars after flooding in Catarroja left hundreds dead or missing in the Valencia region of Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
Miraculously there were no reports of human casualties in the former fishing village near the former home of the famous artist Salvador Dali.
Cadaqués is just over 500 kilometers north of Valencia, where the vast majority of the 223 people who lost their lives in the flash floods at the end of last month in Spain died.
Spanish King Felipe VI, who was pelted with mud along with Queen Letizia and Spanish politicians, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, during his first visit to Valencia after the natural disaster, returned to the city alone yesterday.
This time he visited the soldiers who have been helping in the rescue and cleanup efforts.
