Foreign Office updates Spain travel warning amid heavy rain and floods in popular tourist spots

Kate Lally & Sonia Sharma

14 November 2024 at 9:17 am·2-min read

There has been heavy rain and flooding in parts of Spain — -Credit: (Image: Getty Images)

A warning has been issued over severe weather in Spain and it affects some destinations popular with UK travellers.

The alert comes as a number of areas in Spain were hit by heavy rain and flooding. New storms have caused school closures and train cancellations, two weeks after flash floods in the Valencia region killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Coastal areas of Valencia were placed under the highest alert on Wednesday evening, with forecasters warning up to 180mm of rain could fall there within five hours. Clean-up efforts in parts of Valencia hardest hit by the October 29 storm are continuing, and there are concerns over what more rain could bring to streets still covered with mud and debris.

In southern Malaga province, streets were flooded while 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce river were moved from their homes as a preventative measure. Schools across the province were closed, along with many stores. Train services were cancelled between Malaga and Madrid, and between Barcelona and Valencia.

Spanish weather forecaster AEMET previously put Malaga on red alert, saying up to 70mm (3in) of rain had accumulated in an hour. Parts of Tarragona province in the east also faced heavy rain and remained under red alert.

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The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has amended its guidance for Spain. People are being advised to "check the latest warnings", reports the Liverpool Echo.

A new Gov.uk alert reads: "Severe weather and flooding is affecting many areas along the Mediterranean coastline of Spain. In particular, many parts of the Valencia region and Castilla La Mancha continue to be severely affected by recent flooding.

"Journeys may be affected. Check the latest weather warnings from Spain’s meteorological office before you travel and follow instructions from local authorities."

Spain's meteorological agency AEMET said on Thursday morning: "Red warnings have been deactivated in the provinces of Malaga and Valencia. Orange warnings (significant danger) remain active due to very heavy rain in areas of the provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, Seville, Alicante and Valencia."

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