Spain: 8,000 people evacuated due to Storm Leonardo

Madrid (Spain), 6 February (LaPresse) – Around 8,000 people have been evacuated in Spain due to the risk of landslides and flooding caused by Storm Leonardo. The region most affected is Andalusia with 7,000 evacuees, followed by Extremadura with 900. The intensity of the rain has decreased in recent hours, but there is concern about the high level of rivers and reservoirs, particularly the Guadalquivir, which flows through the city of Cordoba. According to Spanish media reports, the river has now reached 5.5 metres, more than double the level that triggers a red alert (2.5 metres). The governor of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, said the situation has stabilised but warned of the danger posed by the arrival of a new storm on Saturday, renamed Marta. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) said the new storm will bring heavy rainfall and gusts of wind. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is visiting the affected areas.