Walter Finch
STREETS have been turned into rivers and rail services disrupted as Storm Garoe batters western Andalucia amid a red alert weather warning.
The province of Huelva has borne the brunt of the deluge after recording a staggering 130mm of rainfall on Monday, with an orange alert continuing in place for Tuesday.
The severe weather has forced authorities to activate emergency flood protocols across the region, with eight municipalities in the province implementing their local emergency plans.
Train services between Huelva and Madrid have been severely disrupted after ADIF was forced to suspend all rail traffic between San Juan del Puerto and Niebla due to flooding.
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Passengers are being redirected via bus to Sevilla to continue their journeys.
Emergency services have responded to dozens of incidents, primarily dealing with flooded homes, basements, and garages.
The coastal town of Moguer has been particularly affected, recording over 77mm of rainfall, while multiple communities including Niebla, Bonares, and San Juan del Puerto have reported significant flooding.
Seven people were evacuated from their homes yesterday with emergency services responding to 55 incidents between 8am and 6:30pm on Monday.
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The majority occurred in Huelva (41) and Sevilla (11), while Cordoba reported three incidents. Remarkably, no personal injuries were reported.
In one dramatic incident, a car became stranded near La Ribera prison between Huelva capital and Gibraleón.
The A-5000 highway at kilometre 7 near Huelva has been particularly affected, with authorities warning drivers to exercise extreme caution.
Spain’s weather agency AEMET has extended its orange alert for Huelva province through Tuesday until midnight Wednesday, warning of potential accumulation of 90 litres per square metre in just 12 hours. Yellow alerts remain in place for Sevilla’s Sierra Norte and Campiña regions.
The Junta activated its Special Emergency Flood Risk Plan (PERI) at 3.26pm as a preventive measure, with meteorologists warning that the dangerous conditions could persist until at least midday Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the storm system has now reached Malaga province, with the Serrania de Ronda and Estepona areas expected to receive up to 30 litres per square metre – a development welcomed by many in the drought-stricken region.
Affected municipalities implementing emergency protocols include Villarrasa, Niebla, Moguer, Trigueros, Ayamonte, Cartaya, Nerva and Bollullos Par del Condado.
