The most critical situation unfolded in the Valencia region, where authorities issued red alert notifications directly to residents’ mobile phones on Sunday evening. The warnings advised people to stay inside and move to higher ground as intense rainfall raised fears of repeat devastation. Eight additional provinces were placed under orange alert, signaling serious risks to life and property amid forecasts of worsening weather.
Valencia remains particularly sensitive to extreme weather events following catastrophic floods in October last year that killed more than 220 people and caused billions of euros in damage. Those floods exposed major gaps in emergency preparedness, with widespread criticism directed at both regional and national authorities for delayed warnings. The fallout from that disaster eventually led to the resignation of the region’s leader, adding political weight to the latest emergency response.
In the southern province of Malaga, Spain’s Civil Guard confirmed the recovery of the body of a man whose van was swept away after a riverbed overflowed on Sunday. According to a statement posted on the force’s official X account, a second passenger who was traveling in the same vehicle remains missing, with search operations ongoing.
Emergency crews were also deployed in Granada, where a young person was reported missing after being swept away while attempting to cross a riverbed on a motorcycle. The incident was confirmed by Spain’s state news agency EFE, as rescue teams continued to comb affected areas despite hazardous conditions.
The storm system also caused injuries further northeast. In Barcelona, strong winds reaching speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour tore down a lamppost, seriously injuring a woman who was struck by the falling structure on Saturday. The regional government’s civil protection agency confirmed she was hospitalized following the incident.
As Spain faces yet another episode of extreme weather, authorities continue to stress caution, warning that climate-driven rainfall events are becoming more intense and unpredictable. The latest floods have once again underscored the human cost of such disasters and the critical importance of timely alerts, coordinated emergency responses, and public adherence to safety advisories.
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