What is causing the extreme rainfall in Spain and Portugal?

The extreme rainfall is caused by an unusually southward-shifted jet stream allowing Storm Leonardo to intensify and stall, merging with an atmospheric river carrying tropical moisture.

How many people have been evacuated in Morocco due to flash floods?

Over 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate in northern Morocco due to flash floods.

What are the ongoing risks associated with Storm Leonardo?

With saturated soils and swollen rivers, the risk of further flooding and landslides remains high, particularly in southern Spain.

Home / Environment / Spain & Portugal Drenched; Morocco Floods Force Evacuations

Spain & Portugal Drenched; Morocco Floods Force Evacuations

6 Feb

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Summary

Southern Spain recorded rainfall equivalent to annual average in just days.
Over 100,000 evacuated in Morocco due to severe flash floods.
A missing girl in Spain and a reported death in Portugal highlight storm's danger.

Spain & Portugal Drenched; Morocco Floods Force Evacuations

Storm Leonardo is currently causing severe weather across the Iberian Peninsula, with Spain and Portugal experiencing torrential rain and high winds. In southern Spain's Grazalema, rainfall has exceeded the annual average, leading to the evacuation of approximately 3,500 people across Andalucía. Roads and schools have been closed, and transport networks disrupted. Emergency services are searching for a girl reported missing after being swept away by a river.

Portugal, still recovering from a previous storm, is also severely impacted, with over 200 people evacuated due to flooding and landslides. Tragically, a man died in the Alentejo region after his car was washed away. The storm's influence extends to North Africa, where flash floods in Morocco have necessitated the evacuation of over 100,000 residents, with Ksar El-Kebir being particularly affected.