Storm Leonardo Triggers Flooding, Evacuations in Spain and Portugal
Storm Leonardo caused widespread flooding across Spain and Portugal on Thursday, forcing thousands to evacuate and disrupting transportation. In Andalusia, Spain, approximately 4,000 people were evacuated as rivers burst their banks after the storm dumped over 600 liters of water per square meter in just 36 hours, according to AEMET.
The village of Grazalema in Cadiz province experienced significant flooding, with streets submerged in water. Police in Cadiz waded through waist-deep water to rescue people trapped in an abandoned building, according to Euronews. Civil Guard officers were searching for a woman missing near Malaga, believed to have fallen into a swollen river. Schools were closed and rail and road links were suspended in several areas of Andalusia.
Portugal was also heavily impacted by Storm Leonardo. Euronews reported that one man in his 60s died near Serpa after his car was swept away in floodwater. Around 200 people were evacuated on Wednesday. The main avenue of Alcácer do Sal was covered in waist-deep water after the Sado River overflowed, despite the presence of sandbags outside shops. Since Sunday, emergency teams in Portugal have responded to more than 3,300 incidents, including floods, fallen trees, and landslides. The alert level remains active.
While Storm Leonardo wreaked havoc in the Iberian Peninsula, other European news included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to Qatar for energy talks amid regional tensions and Polish authorities detaining five individuals involved in a cigarette smuggling operation from Belarus.
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