Spain, Portugal brace for new storm after floods kill 2, displace 11,000 | Environment News
Spain and Portugal Prepare for Severe Weather Following Storm Leonardo
Madrid and Lisbon, [Date] — Spain and Portugal are on high alert as they brace for another storm just days after Storm Leonardo caused severe flooding that resulted in at least two fatalities—one in each country—and displaced more than 11,000 residents.
Authorities in Portugal have deployed over 26,500 rescue personnel in anticipation of Storm Marta, which prompted the postponement of Sunday’s presidential election in three municipalities due to the forecasted severe weather.
Both nations have issued warnings for additional flooding following a week of torrential rain that inundated roads, disrupted train services, and forced thousands from their homes. The Portuguese meteorological service has issued alerts for heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas across the country.
In Spain, the national meteorological agency, Aemet, has placed much of southern Spain, especially Andalusia, and parts of the northwest under an orange alert for heavy rainfall and violent storms. Further advisories extend to regions including Castilla-La León, Galicia, Murcia, and the Valencian Community. While rainfall is expected to be less intense than during Storm Leonardo, authorities caution that saturated ground conditions heighten the risk of flooding and landslides.
In Andalusia, ongoing rains have compounded earlier flooding, leading to widespread damage and triggering the evacuation of more than 10,000 individuals. Many roads remain closed, and rail services are largely suspended, prompting officials to urge residents to limit travel.
Mario Silvestre, commander at Portugal’s civil protection agency, characterized the weather forecast as “extremely worrying.”
Juan Manuel Moreno, president of Andalusia, warned via social media that “rivers have hit their limit,” cautioning residents to prepare for wind gusts reaching 110 kilometers per hour (68 miles per hour), in addition to potential landslides and flash floods.
Francisco Marques, a municipal employee in the central village of Constancia, described the devastation: “All the furniture is completely destroyed; the water broke the windows, forced the doors open, and then burst through the windows from the other side.”
Following a helicopter survey of flood-affected zones in southern Spain near Cadiz, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez noted that “difficult days” lie ahead as the weather remains “very dangerous.” He expressed his astonishment at the relentless rainfall.
In Portugal, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has indicated damage estimates exceeding four billion euros ($4.7 billion). The nation is still recovering from Storm Kristin, which previously resulted in five deaths, hundreds of injuries, and widespread power outages.
The Portuguese National Meteorological Institute (IPMA) has placed the entire coastline on orange alert due to hazardous sea conditions, forecasting waves up to 13 meters (43 feet) high. Eight of the 18 mainland districts, primarily in central and southern Portugal, are also under alert.
According to a spokesperson for the National Civil Protection Authority, “All river basins remain under severe pressure,” particularly in the Lisbon region and further south along the Sado River.
Storm Leonardo alone resulted in one death in Portugal and led to the evacuation of 1,100 people nationwide. Jose Pimenta Machado, president of the Portuguese Environment Agency, reported that a series of atmospheric depressions have compelled the release of water from the country’s dams equivalent to the annual water consumption in just three days.
