MADRID) — Authorities in southern Spain have evacuated around 3,000 people in parts of Cádiz, Málaga and Jaén after intense rainfall caused flooding, river surges and major transport disruption, as a series of storms continued to batter Andalusia.
Regional alerts were escalated to red in high-risk zones including Grazalema, Ronda and the Strait of Gibraltar, with forecasts in some areas warning of exceptionally high accumulations in short periods. Emergency services said saturated ground and swollen river channels have sharply raised flash-flood risk.
Rail and education were among the hardest-hit sectors. High-speed rail services were suspended on some routes, and schools were closed across most of Andalusia except Almería, according to regional authorities and Spanish media reports.
Officials also reported widespread local disruption: flooded homes, impassable roads, and rising river levels at multiple monitoring points. In mountain towns, residents and emergency crews worked together to clear water from homes while civil protection teams tracked vulnerable riverbeds and dam levels.
Air and coastal conditions remain unstable. Strong winds near the Strait have compounded delays and operational challenges, while continued rain and runoff—including snowmelt contributions in higher terrain—have kept authorities on high alert.
No mass-casualty event was reported in the latest official updates, but authorities warned residents to avoid flooded roads and follow evacuation orders as additional heavy rain is forecast through the week.
