Cordoba, Spain. Authorities in southern Spain evacuated residential areas amid fears the Guadalquivir River could overflow and warned of landslides after Storm Leonardo swept across the Iberian Peninsula. More than 7,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Andalusia.
Evacuations and flood concerns
Several residential areas near the Guadalquivir riverbed in Cordoba province were evacuated overnight due to sharply rising water levels.
Approximately 1,500 residents were also evacuated from Grazalema, a mountain village popular with hikers, after water seeped through house walls and cascaded along steep cobbled streets.
Landslide warnings and assessments
Andalusia’s regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno told radio station SER that aquifers in the Grazalema mountains were full and could provoke landslides due to pent-up pressure.
“This could cause large holes or ditches. If this happens under a house or street, the result could be dramatic,” Moreno said.
Moreno said geologists were assessing the situation in Grazalema to determine when residents could return home.
More storms forecast
State weather agency AEMET warned that another storm, Marta, would hit the peninsula on Saturday, bringing more rainfall.
The evacuations came amid what was described as a “storm train,” with several consecutive storms hitting Portugal and Spain with torrential rain and strong winds over recent weeks.
Impact on agriculture and conditions in Portugal
Heavy rains have also affected the olive harvest. Francisco Elvira, who leads farmers’ association COAG in Jaen province, estimated losses worth 200 million euros ($236 million) so far.
In Portugal’s second-biggest city Porto, the River Douro overflowed early Friday, causing minor flooding at riverside cafe terraces. In southern Portugal, large parts of Alcacer do Sal by the River Sado remained semi-submerged for a third straight day.
How have the storms affected your area and local services?