Dozens evacuated and roads closed after flooding in central and northern Spain
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Spain continues to be hit by rainstorms, with the latest one, called Martinho, causing some cities to declare a state of emergency and evacuate their inhabitants.
Dozens of roads have been closed, and rivers have been seen overflowing in large areas of central and northern Spain.
In the city of Ávila in central Spain, a state of emergency was declared due to flooding after the Adaja and Chico rivers overflowed.
Related
Storm Martinho triggers flood warnings and widespread damage across Spain
In Madrid, several roads have been closed as the alert remains in place due to the flooding of the Manzanares River. Meanwhile, the municipality of Mejorada del Campo had to evacuate 48 people due to the flooding of the Jarama and Henares rivers.
Meanwhile, in the southern Andalusia region, police are still searching for a motorcyclist who disappeared four days ago.
Footage from the Guardia Civil police force showed officers wading through a river near the town of Pujerra in search of the missing man.
Spain has faced a severe drought in recent years, however in the past two weeks steady rainfall, especially in the south has overwhelmed reservoirs and riverbanks.
In Madrid, officials are releasing water from the El Pardo reservoir to prevent flooding.
In Toledo, emergency crews have set up flood barriers around a hospital for paraplegic patients as the Tagus River continues to rise. Authorities say they are ready to evacuate residents if needed.
Scientists and officials link these swings between drought and heavy rain to climate change, which is also making Spain's summers hotter.
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Euronews
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Heavy rainfall fills empty reservoirs in Spain, bringing drought relief and floods
ADVERTISEMENT Drought relief in Spain has come at a price as flash floods and record rainfall forces hundreds to evacuate their homes, closes schools and sweeps cars away. Parts of the country suffered from a stubborn drought last year , but the weather has recently taken an abrupt turn. In the first 18 days of March, Spain received more than double the normal amount of monthly rainfall, according to Spanish national weather agency, AEMET. That included normally arid regions like Andalusia, where flooded rivers forced hundreds of people to evacuate. Madrid had more rainfall in the first three weeks of this month than any month since records began in 1893, said an AEMET meteorologist. Emergency teams rescue a dog from flooded areas after heavy rains in Malaga, Spain, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Gregorio Marrero/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved. But volatile weather is a fact of life in Spain. 'The blessing and curse of the Spanish climate is exactly that,' said Daniel Argüeso, a climate scientist at Spain's University of the Balearic Islands. 'We have these periods of extended drought that usually end with these kinds of situations. Having said that, the rain we had in March has been quite exceptional.' For now, a drought that began in 2023 is over. The Sau reservoir that supplies water to Barcelona is now about 48% full, compared to less than 5% at the same time last year. Related Storm Martinho triggers flood warnings and widespread damage across Spain Dozens evacuated and roads closed after flooding in central and northern Spain How long Spanish water reserves remain at healthy levels will depend on factors like how much more springtime rain the country gets and the heat and dryness of the summer to come. However, climate scientists believe Spain will likely stay free of water restrictions at least through the summer. The recent floods took place only months after a deadly deluge in Valencia killed hundreds after some areas saw a year's worth of rain in just eight hours. A woman reacts after floods, in Picanya on the outskirts of Valencia, Spain, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. Alberto Saiz/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved Scientists say climate change is making swings between dryness and downpour more acute. Around the world, rising temperatures are speeding up the hydrological cycle in which water moves between the Earth and its atmosphere. That triggers extreme weather like prolonged droughts and intense rainfall.
Euronews
22-03-2025
- Euronews
Dozens evacuated and roads closed after flooding in central and northern Spain
ADVERTISEMENT Spain continues to be hit by rainstorms, with the latest one, called Martinho, causing some cities to declare a state of emergency and evacuate their inhabitants. Dozens of roads have been closed, and rivers have been seen overflowing in large areas of central and northern Spain. In the city of Ávila in central Spain, a state of emergency was declared due to flooding after the Adaja and Chico rivers overflowed. Related Storm Martinho triggers flood warnings and widespread damage across Spain In Madrid, several roads have been closed as the alert remains in place due to the flooding of the Manzanares River. Meanwhile, the municipality of Mejorada del Campo had to evacuate 48 people due to the flooding of the Jarama and Henares rivers. Meanwhile, in the southern Andalusia region, police are still searching for a motorcyclist who disappeared four days ago. Footage from the Guardia Civil police force showed officers wading through a river near the town of Pujerra in search of the missing man. Spain has faced a severe drought in recent years, however in the past two weeks steady rainfall, especially in the south has overwhelmed reservoirs and riverbanks. In Madrid, officials are releasing water from the El Pardo reservoir to prevent flooding. In Toledo, emergency crews have set up flood barriers around a hospital for paraplegic patients as the Tagus River continues to rise. Authorities say they are ready to evacuate residents if needed. Scientists and officials link these swings between drought and heavy rain to climate change, which is also making Spain's summers hotter.
Local France
19-03-2025
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South-west France on alert with winds of up to 120km/h forecast
Parts of the France's southern Occitanie region have already seen an uptick in windspeeds, as the second 'Autan Noir' of the month batters the area. The 'Autan Noir' - a weather episode bringing high winds - is common to south-west France. As of Wednesday, France's national weather service Météo France had placed four south-western départements (Aveyron, Tarn, Haute-Garonne and Aude) on the lowest-level of warning (yellow) for high winds, with gusts expected to reach 85km/h. The gales were expected to pick up from Thursday, and Météo France issued orange weather warnings – the second-highest alert level – for the Haute-Garonne and Tarn départements. This alert was set to come into effect on Thursday evening (starting at 9pm) and last into Friday. Meanwhile, five neighbouring départements (Aveyron, Aude, Ariège, Hautes-Pyrénées, and Pyrénées Atlantiques) were set to stay on the yellow warning on Thursday. Winds are forecast to reach 100km/h to 110km/h in certain areas, and even 120 km/h at the foot of the Montagne Noire, in the Lauragais and Castres regions. Advertisement Gusts of up to 100km/h are also expected at the edge of the Toulouse metropolitan area. The Autan Noir is often a precursor to rains and storms in southwest France. One deadly storm has already wreaked havoc in Spain. Torrential rains, particularly in the south of the country, led to significant flooding. Meanwhile, Storm Martinho is expected to reach France on Friday, bringing rain and thunderstorms from the west.
