Homes evacuated and weather alert issued as storms set to hit Balearic Islands and parts of Spain

Evacuations have been carried out and school classes have been suspended as Spain's meteorological agency Aemet has warned of a spell of torrential rain and low temperatures.

Several areas of the country have been issued with an orange weather alert - the second highest - from now until Thursday following warnings of "very strong to torrential" rainfalls and storms in Valencia, the regions of Catalonia and Andalusia and the Balearic Islands.

The military has been driving through affected areas warning people of storms with a megaphone. The level of the alert has been described as "a degree of danger for normal activities", and in Valencia, many school classes and sports activities have been suspended. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.

A mass alert was sent out to mobile phones in the Malaga province just after 10pm on November 12 by the Spanish Civil Protection Agency which read: 'Red warning activated. Extreme risk of rainfall. Be very cautious, avoid travel.' A total of 222 people died as a result of flooding in Spain last month, whilst a further 23 are still missing.

Around 1,000 homes have been evacuated as a preventative measure near the Guadalhorce River, which a fortnight ago was one of the worst-affected areas during torrential rainfall. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news. You will receive updates from us daily.