Thousands of residents in southern Spain have been evacuated following the issuance of a red weather alert for extreme rainfall and flooding. The alert, issued by Spain’s Civil Protection Agency late Tuesday evening, covers Málaga province, including popular tourist areas like Marbella, Estepona, and Vélez-Málaga. The region is bracing for severe weather associated with a “Dana” storm, a phenomenon known for causing prolonged, torrential rain.
The storm comes just weeks after deadly floods killed more than 220 people across Spain. Local authorities have ordered around 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce River to leave their homes due to the risk of flooding. In addition, schools in Málaga province have closed, and many businesses remain shuttered.
The storm is expected to bring more torrential rain and low temperatures across much of southern Spain, with the Valencia and Balearic Islands also under heightened alert. Parts of Catalonia, especially near Tarragona, are facing a red alert until Wednesday evening. The second storm in a series, this Dana is not expected to be as deadly as the one on October 29 that caused massive flooding in Valencia and took many lives.
In Valencia, search teams have recovered the bodies of two young boys, aged 5 and 3, who were swept away by the floods in late October. Their bodies were found in separate locations following an extensive search effort.
Meteorologists warn that the continuing rain could cause significant disruption and pose a danger to normal activities, particularly in areas already devastated by recent floods.
This storm marks yet another major weather event in a country already grappling with the aftermath of one of its worst flood disasters in years.
