Storm Borrasca Leonardo Triggers Widespread Flooding and Transport Disruptions Across Spain
Borrasca Leonardo causes flooding, evacuations, and transport halts across Spain, especially in Andalucía and Galicia.
- • Borrasca Leonardo triggers orange alert and flooding in Andalucía and Galicia.
- • Over 3,000 evacuated in Andalucía with 180 roads closed due to floods and landslides.
- • Renfe suspends nearly all train services in affected Andalusian provinces.
- • Guadalquivir River in Córdoba reaches near historic levels prompting evacuations.
Key details
Borrasca Leonardo continues to batter Spain, causing severe weather disruptions particularly in Andalucía and Galicia. The storm has prompted an orange alert in Andalucía, Extremadura, and Galicia, with Galicia facing waves up to 7 meters and winds reaching 74 km/h. Heavy rains have led to significant flooding, road closures, and mass evacuations.
In Andalucía, over 3,000 people have been evacuated due to rising waters and landslides. The Guadalquivir River in Córdoba has nearly reached a five-meter level, the highest in over 15 years, triggering further evacuations. Approximately 180 roads, mostly in Cádiz, are closed because of flooding and landslides. Schools have resumed in Almería and Huelva, while 86 municipalities remain closed.
Transport across Andalucía has been severely affected with Renfe suspending nearly all local and long-distance train services in Sevilla, Cádiz, Málaga, and other areas. All five cercanías lines in Sevilla and multiple lines in Cádiz and Málaga are canceled, except the C1 line in Málaga. Notably, all AVE high-speed services to and from Andalucía are canceled except the Madrid-Villanueva de Córdoba route. Some alternative bus services have been organized for select train routes.
The Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) is actively involved in rescue and risk mitigation operations, particularly managing landslide threats in Andalucía. Weather forecasts indicate the storm may persist through the weekend with a new weather front expected on Saturday, maintaining highly unstable conditions.
Other regions, including Aragón, Murcia, Asturias, and the Balearic Islands, face yellow alerts for wind, rain, snow, and maritime storms. In Galicia, the amber alert remains due to the extreme sea conditions and heavy rainfall expected to continue in western areas and other mountainous regions.
Authorities continue intensive search efforts for a woman missing after falling into the Turvilla River in Sayalonga. The storm has demonstrated the severe impact on infrastructure and public safety, prompting urgent response efforts across multiple Spanish regions.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
