More storms coming as Leonardo swells rivers, bursts aquifers in Spain and Portugal

Authorities in southern Spain have evacuated residential areas out of fear a major river could overflow and warned of landslides caused by bursting aquifers on Friday after Storm Leonardo swept over the Iberian Peninsula.

Over 7,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in the Andalusia region so far amid a so-called “storm train” in which several consecutive storms have pounded Portugal and Spain with torrential rains and strong winds over the past weeks.

State weather agency AEMET warned that another storm, Marta, would hit the peninsula on Saturday, bringing more abundant rainfall.

Several residential areas near the Guadalquivir riverbed in Cordoba province were evacuated overnight due to the dramatic rise in water levels.

Also evacuated were the approximately 1,500 residents of Grazalema, a mountain village popular with hikers, as water seeped through the walls of houses and cascaded along steep cobbled streets.

Andalusia’s regional leader, Juan Manuel Moreno, told radio station SER that aquifers in the Grazalema mountains were full and could provoke landslides due to pent-up pressure.

“This could cause large holes or ditches. If this happens under a house or street, the result could be dramatic,” Moreno said.

He added geologists were assessing the situation in Grazalema to determine when residents would be able to return to their homes.

The heavy rains are also impacting the olive harvest. Francisco Elvira, who leads farmers’ association COAG in Jaen province, estimated losses worth 200 million euros ($236 million) so far.

PORTUGAL EXTENDS CALAMITY STATE

In Portugal’s second-biggest city Porto, the River Douro overflowed in the early hours on Friday, causing minor flooding at riverside cafe terraces. In the country’s south, large parts of the town of Alcacer do Sal by the River Sado remained semi-submerged for the third straight day.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said late on Thursday his government had extended a state of calamity in 69 municipalities until mid-February, adding “unprecedented” rainfall and flood risks threatened several regions.

The commander of Portugal’s ANEPC civil protection service, Mario Silvestre, said six rivers – including the Tagus – were at risk of significant flooding.

The Tagus river basin was placed on red alert on Thursday due to the abrupt rise in water flow.