Thousands of residents in Málaga, located on southern Spain's Costa del Sol, are evacuating their homes due to a newly issued red weather alert for severe rain and flooding. The Civil Protection Agency sent mass alerts to local residents warning of the "extreme risk of rainfall" shortly after 22:00 local time on Tuesday evening. The area, encompassing popular tourist destinations such as Marbella and Estepona, is expected to bear the brunt of this latest storm system, colloquially known as a "Dana."
Regions beyond Málaga are also on alert as this new weather front threatens to unleash torrential rain alongside low temperatures. Just weeks ago, Spain faced devastating flash floods that resulted in over 220 fatalities. Notably, Catalonia—especially the coastal areas near Tarragona—has also been placed on red alert until Wednesday evening, as the storm system moves inland.
In Málaga, all schools have closed their doors, while many local supermarkets chose to remain shuttered. Approximately 3,000 residents living close to the Guadalhorce River have been ordered to evacuate their homes. Antonio Sanz, the Regional Government's Minister of the Presidency, specified that the evacuations are targeted at particular riverbank areas rather than entire towns.
The adverse weather has caused the postponement of the Billie Jean King Cup tennis match between Spain and Poland, originally scheduled for Wednesday in Málaga. Other Mediterranean regions, particularly in the east and south, are taking proactive measures in light of the impending storm.
The National Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued a secondary orange alert impacting parts of Valencia, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands until Thursday. Aemet warns that ongoing rainfall could reach "very strong to torrential" levels, indicating significant meteorological danger.
Valencia, still grappling with the aftermath of the previous Dana weather system that occurred at the end of October, has seen school classes and sports activities canceled while sandbags have been erected to protect vulnerable areas. The previous storms were marked by particularly tragic consequences, leading to the untimely deaths of two young brothers whose bodies were recently recovered.
Dana weather systems occur when an area of low pressure becomes detached from the primary jet stream, resulting in stagnant weather patterns that lead to persistent and heavy rainfall over time. The meteorological phenomenon is exacerbated by clashes of cold air above and warmer Mediterranean air below, creating conditions ripe for severe storms as the climate crisis continues to unfold.
