Thousands of residents in the Costa del Sol region of southern Spain have been evacuated after a red weather alert was issued for extreme rainfall and flooding. Spain’s Civil Protection Agency issued a mass notification to phones in Málaga province at around 22:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Tuesday, warning of an “extreme risk of rainfall.”
The alert covers popular tourist destinations, including Marbella, Velez, and Estepona, which are expected to be hit hardest by a severe weather system known as a “Dana.” The storm is expected to bring torrential rains and plummeting temperatures, just weeks after Spain experienced flash floods that claimed more than 220 lives.
Catalonia, in northeastern Spain, has also been placed under a red alert until Wednesday evening, particularly along the Tarragona coast. Meanwhile, schools across Málaga province have been closed, and many supermarkets have remained shuttered as a precaution.
Around 3,000 people living near the Guadalhorce River have been instructed to evacuate, according to the Regional Government of Andalusia. Antonio Sanz, Minister of the Presidency for the regional government, explained, “We have not evacuated entire towns, but rather specific areas linked to the riverbank.” The government has coordinated with national security forces to assist with the evacuations.
The extreme weather in Málaga also led to the postponement of the Billie Jean King Cup opening tie between Spain and Poland, originally scheduled for Wednesday, as confirmed by the International Tennis Federation.
Other regions of Spain are also on high alert, with parts of Valencia, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands facing orange warnings, signalling significant danger. Aemet, Spain’s meteorological agency, has forecast heavy rains and storms that could become “very strong to torrential.” In Valencia, some schools and sports activities have been suspended, and sandbags have been placed to protect vulnerable areas like Aldaia.
While this second Dana weather system is not expected to cause the same level of devastation as the red alert on October 29, which caused unprecedented flooding in Valencia, the region remains on high alert.
In a grim update, rescue teams announced that the bodies of two young brothers, Izan Matías, 5, and Rubén Matías, 3, who were swept away by the floods in Valencia, have been found. Their aunt confirmed the news to the BBC, saying, “My little angels, we have finally found you. Two stars shine brighter in the sky.”
The search for the brothers, who were ripped from their father’s arms by the violent torrent, had involved recovery teams from Spain, the Canary Islands, and Mexico. On Monday, the family’s dog was also found dead in a garage more than 12 km from their home.
Dana weather systems occur when an area of low pressure is “cut off” from the main flow of the jet stream, causing persistent rainfall over the same region for several days. The combination of colder air aloft and warm Mediterranean air intensifies the storm, creating the conditions for catastrophic flooding.
