Spain tourists are being urged to take care after Spain’s meteorological agency (AEMET) issued an “extreme risk” weather warning for today. The travel warning was issued for the regions of Murcia, Almeria, Valencia and Alicante, with the latter two being the most severely affected. A cold front has brought torrential rain and holidaymakers are being cautioned about flooding. “Flash floods may occur and could cause disruption and delays to transport services,” said the FCO.
“If you’re in these areas, you should follow the advice of local authorities.”
Yesterday a 51-year-old woman and her 61-year-old brother were killed when floodwaters overturned their car in Castilla La Mancha, emergency services said.
One of the first places to be hit with rain was Ontinyent, south of Valencia, where a mini tornado was also reported.
Mayor Jorge Rodríguez said Ontinyent had experienced its heaviest rainfall on record, with more than 400mm by Thursday afternoon.
The River Clariano rose nine metres (30ft) in two hours and flooded the streets on Wednesday night, damaging buildings and bridges and washing away cars.
The town is expected to ask the national government to declare a catastrophe in the area in order to claim emergency aid and long-term financial help to rebuild.
Valencia residents had to be evacuated when at least two rivers burst their banks. Schools were also shut and some areas experienced power cuts.
Classes for over 300,000 pupils were also cancelled in Murcia and residents advised to take “maximum precaution.”
A spokesman for Valencia fire department tweeted that emergency crews rescued three people from a river, including a 57-year-old man and his 33-year-old son.
Thirteen people were also saved from cars or rooftops in Albacete, south-west of Valencia.
Alarming videos posted to social media show streets and railways turning into fast-flowing rivers.
Others tweeted footage of lightning storms. “So far we’ve had a little over 14 hours of this, the swimming pool level has gone up by around 18 inches and roof leaking like a rusty bucket,” one Alicante resident posted.
Last week, the FCO issued a warning about travelling to Spain after a British tourist became the “first to contract listeriosis” during Spain’s most serious outbreak of the bacterial infection.
The rare infection is caused by bacteria called listeria and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, a high temperature, chills and aches and pains.
“The Spanish Health Ministry has issued an international alert on meat products manufactured under the brand name “La Mechá” following a confirmed outbreak of listeriosis,” the FCO said.
“Approximately 200 people have been affected by the outbreak, with the majority of cases reported in the region of Andalusia and a small number in other parts of Spain.
“All products manufactured by the Seville plant since 1 May 2019 have been recalled. If you have consumed a product manufactured under the ‘La Mechá’ or a similar own-brand label and think you may have been affected you should visit your local health centre. Listeriosis is usually caught from eating food containing listeria bacteria.”