Andalusia Floods: Storm Marta Brings Evacuations & Damage

Storm Marta impacted Andalucía beginning Saturday afternoon, following closely on the heels of Storm Leonardo. The storm caused rivers to swell rapidly, fed by saturated ground from recent rains and releases from reservoirs. The Guadalquivir River is a prime example, raising concerns in Córdoba prior to Saturday and extending to Seville and municipalities like El Palmar de Troya, Écija, Tocina, and Lora del Río (Seville), as well as Villafranca, Almodóvar del Río, and Palma del Río (Córdoba). With the river at a red alert level in several areas, including Seville, emergency services clarified that flooding in the capital was not due to the river overflowing its banks.

Impact Across Andalucía

Late Saturday, a wall collapse in Canena (Jaén) trapped an individual who was subsequently rescued by emergency services. The Junta de Andalucía is urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel. The storm has affected over 200 roads, with 148 currently closed, particularly in the province of Cádiz. A total of 11,089 people have been evacuated, and six areas remain isolated.

The majority of evacuations have occurred in Cádiz (7,707, a number reduced from the previous day with the conditional return of residents of San Roque) and Córdoba (1,500), followed by Jaén (687), Málaga (586), Granada (400), and Seville (209).

In Ubrique (Cádiz), streets were flooded as residents worked to clear obstructions. Approximately 50 people were evacuated. In an interview on Antena 3, the President of Andalucía announced “more evacuations” throughout the night (approximately 150 or 200 people) due to underground water movement in the municipality.

As of late Saturday afternoon, emergency services were responding to 17 different locations across Andalucía, with 71 operations ongoing. The Minister of Emergencies, Antonio Sanz, expressed concern on Canal Sur TV about the “wear and tear on infrastructure,” such as homes and roads, anticipating a pause on Sunday before the return of the “atmospheric river” on Monday, stating, “It seems endless.” The situation is expected to improve starting Tuesday.

The Guadalquivir River and Seville

The Guadalquivir River, which traverses Andalucía from northeast to west, is now the focus of attention. Its level rose to 5.90 meters (with the red alert level at 2.50) near Córdoba, raising fears of overflowing on Friday. The level was reportedly rising again late Saturday, with the possibility of exceeding Thursday’s peak.

These concerns extended to Seville on Saturday, with viral images showing flooding in Torre Triana. The city council clarified that this was due to pooling water, not the river overflowing. The river did reach floodable areas of the capital in the Isla de la Cartuja area, and the defense wall gates have been closed since Thursday.

Francisco Toscano, the Government Sub-delegate in Seville, stated that the river’s growth is expected to be “sustained and progressive until it stabilizes,” and that this stabilization “will hold for some time until it begins to descend.”

The rains and risk of river overflow in the province of Seville led to the evacuation of residents in Tocina and Lora del Río. The Cirque du Sol show in Seville was also suspended, as were Liga matches between Sevilla FC and Girona, and Cádiz – Almería.

Málaga and Cádiz

In Málaga, problems are concentrated in the Ronda mountain range. The evacuation of residents from the Estación de Benaoján area continues due to the risk of water exceeding the limits of the Caballeros dam in Montejaque. What we have is an infrastructure that has been unused and unmaintained for 100 years, abandoned due to leaks from the karst terrain on which it sits. It has now filled, and technicians are monitoring it.

Concerns in Cortes de la Frontera, like in Benaoján, centre on the risk of accumulated water infiltrating the ground and causing landslides. Geologists dispatched to the area informed the mayor that the municipality is “not in danger.” Several earthquakes, all below magnitude 3, were recorded in the area overnight Friday to Saturday, but technicians currently do not believe they are related to the rains.

In that same area, the municipalities of Jimera de Líbar and Cortes de la Frontera in Málaga have prohibited the use of water from their supply networks for drinking, cooking, washing food, or brushing teeth due to its turbidity.

Residents of two streets in San Martín del Tesorillo were also evacuated, and the complete evacuation of Grazalema remains in effect, symbolizing the significant impact of these storms on Andalucía.

Economic Damage

Juan Manuel Moreno, President of the Junta de Andalucía, warned from the Roman Bridge in Córdoba that “situations that have improved may worsen again.” The respite from Leonardo on Friday was abruptly ended with Marta’s arrival from the Atlantic. While potentially with less water, the situation is compounded by saturated aquifers, soaked ground, rivers above normal levels, and reservoirs between 85% and 95% capacity.

Moreno pointed out that abundant rainfall could cause problems as reservoirs would need to be drained, predicting 200 liters per square metre, “and that is a lot.” The location of the rainfall is crucial, as it could determine whether a river overflows or not. “Sometimes 20 kilometers up or down the river changes things, or a wind changes the situation.”

Andalucía, particularly the western zone, is currently in a state of uncertainty, with areas like the Serranía de Ronda, Guadalete, Campo de Gibraltar, and Grazalema unable to absorb more water. In Grazalema, which was completely evacuated on Thursday, over 2,000 liters per square metre have fallen in just over a month.

The President announced that he will request aid from both the State Contingency Fund and the EU Solidarity Fund. “The economic impact will be enormous. We will quantify it after Tuesday or Wednesday, but we can say that it has severely hit the primary sector – agriculture, livestock, and fishing – which has been struggling since December. It has also affected the tourism sector and infrastructure.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What river is currently the focus of concern?

The Guadalquivir River is currently the focus of concern, with its level rising and raising fears of overflowing, particularly near Córdoba and Seville.

How many people have been evacuated due to the storms?

A total of 11,089 people have been evacuated, with the majority from Cádiz (7,707) and Córdoba (1,500).

What is the expected timeline for improvement?

The situation is expected to pause on Sunday, but the “atmospheric river” is predicted to return on Monday. Improvement is anticipated starting Tuesday.

As Andalucía braces for the continued impact of Storm Marta, residents are urged to heed warnings and remain vigilant. What steps can communities take to better prepare for these increasingly frequent and intense weather events?