More flooding in Spain prompts evacuations as several inches of rain fall in Costa del Sol

MALAGA, Spain– Another round of heavy rainfall in the Costa del Sol region of Spain has caused more catastrophic flooding

Southern and eastern Spain have experienced several weeks of rain and flooding due to DANA storms. More than 200 people have died in previous weeks’ flooding, marking the deadliest weather disaster in the country’s modern history.

WHAT MAKES A ‘DANA’ STORM?

According to the City Council of Malaga, houses along the Campanillas River in the district of Campanillas were evacuated because of being at risk of significant flooding.

Thirty-nine dogs and 41 horses were freed by the fire department from an equestrian club in Malaga that was beginning to flood. The council said the equestrian club requested help freeing the animals from approximately 3 feet of water and mud. 

On Wednesday, more rainfall inundated several cities, including Malaga, Granada, northern Castellón and southern Tarragona, according to Spain’s weather authority, AEMET. In Barx, a town in Valencia, rainfall totals exceeded 2.25 inches by 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to AEMET. 

Transportation services in Malaga and Valencia were suspended on Wednesday due to the flooding.

High-speed train services from Malaga to Madrid were suspended by Spain’s Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, due to water affecting the line’s safety system.  

Renfe, Spain’s national railway service, has suspended service on the Valencia Core commuter railway lines until Friday. 

Bus services in Malaga were also canceled. 

Schools in the region were canceled Wednesday. The Department of Educational Development and Vocational Training of the Andalusian Government said in a post to X, that all in-person activities and classes were suspended at all education centers in Malaga and along the coast of Granada.

Heavy rain is expected to continue through Thursday. The eastern Tarragona and southern Malaga provinces were placed under red warnings to indicate the amount of rainfall expected in the area, AEMET said.

First responders worked hard on Wednesday to clear mud from sewers to help with flood preparation. 

Some areas of Costa del Sol could receive upwards of 4.7 inches of rain in the next 12 hours.