Authorities issued red alerts for eastern Tarragona and southern Malaga in Spain, just two weeks after flash floods in Valencia
Text: VOA
Fresh storms in Spain led to school closures and the cancellation of train service on Wednesday, two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued red alerts for the east of Tarragona and the south of Malaga on Wednesday morning, with forecasts of torrential rains of up to 180 millimeters per square meter within 12 hours, which could cause river overflows and flash floods.
On Thursday, orange alerts were issued for the south of Granada and the coastal area of Valencia, from Denia to Sagunto, where precipitation of between 40 and 120 mm was expected.
Winds of up to 119 kilometers per hour and rough seas are expected in Tarragona, Barcelona and Murcia.
In the southern province of Malaga, streets were flooded while 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce river were evacuated from their homes as a preventive measure. Schools across the province remained closed, as did many stores. The service of trains traveling between Malaga and Madrid on the AVE high-speed line was suspended.
No deaths were reported. The forecast in Malaga delayed the start of the Billie Jean King Tennis Cup finals between Spain and Poland, which was scheduled for Wednesday.
Evictions in Spain as prevention
Emergency services have evacuated 3,000 people from homes at high risk of flooding near the Guadalhorce River, west of the city, and in other areas have asked citizens to seek higher ground.
Classes have been suspended in schools in Malaga, Valencia and some municipalities in Catalonia. Two metro lines have been closed or partially closed in Malaga, along with three roads considered at risk of flash flooding.
In Valencia, where the regional government and the Red Cross distributed jackets and blankets, the cargo and passenger port of Gandía was closed and the finals of the Billie Jean King tennis tournament in Malaga were postponed to Friday.
Spanish Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz and unions reminded workers that they were not legally required to go to work if weather conditions did not allow them to do so.
Critical response
The emergency measures come after strong criticism, mainly of local authorities, but also of the national government, for its level of preparation and warnings to citizens about the October 29 storm and the resulting floods.
In Valencia, the impact of the rain could be serious due to the significant amounts of mud already on the ground and the state of the sewage network, Rosa Tauris, spokesperson for its emergency committee, told the press on Tuesday.
Many municipalities in flood-affected areas canceled all non-essential activities, told citizens to work from home and follow updates from emergency services, and asked volunteers to suspend cleaning operations and stockpiling. sandbags for added protection.
*Read also: Spain raises the number of deaths from floods in several regions of the country to 222
César Cabrera, 32, a sewage worker from Pamplona who is serving in the flood-hit Valencian municipality of Paiporta, said they were working around the clock to unclog drains in case the rivers overflowed again.
“We are cleaning everything possible so that it doesn’t get complicated, trying to keep the water flowing,” he said. “Let’s hope it doesn’t rain too much and we can control the situation a little.”
The approaching storms also forced the suspension of rescue efforts by the teams that continue searching for missing persons off the coast of Valencia, according to the Spanish maritime rescue service.
The storm system affecting Spain is caused by warm air colliding with stagnant cold air and forming powerful rain clouds. Experts say drought and flood cycles are increasing with climate change.
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