UK tourists on alert as Spain upgrades warnings to 'red' and thousands evacuated

Weather warnings in parts of Spain have been upgraded to the most severe 'red' level as torrential rain is causing flooding, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

Varying degrees of weather warnings have been issued for large parts of Spain on Wednesday, November 13. Popular tourist hotspots like Seville, Cadiz, Alicante and Barcelona have been issued with yellow warnings, which means that residents and tourists should 'be aware' as some outdoor activities may be affected.

Other areas like the Grenada coast and Tarragona were under more serious orange warnings on Wednesday afternoon. Members of the public in orange-level areas are advised to 'be prepared' and take precautions as everyday outdoor activities may be impacted.

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Meanwhile, Malaga and Tarragona's southern coast have been put on the more severe red-level alert and thousands of homes located on the banks of rivers have already been evacuated.

A red-level alert, issued by Spain's weather agency Aemet, means that there is an 'extreme' risk to the population in the affected area. Members of the public have been told to take preventative measures, to only travel if strictly necessary and to follow the instructions of local authorities.

The weather forecast predicts torrential rain in Malaga between 2pm and 4pm on Wednesday, though the warnings are in place until the evening. Tarragona's southern coast is also expected to be hit by thunderstorms.

So far, 3,000 people were relocated from residences near the Guadalhorce river in Alora and Campanillas to sports centres in the city. Emergency evacuations have also expanded to the heart of the heavily tourist-populated Costa del Sol.

Videos showed drains overflowing in Torre del Mar and roads filling with water by 11am. A number of flights at Malaga Airport have been affected by the rain, with airport operator Aena advising passengers to check with their airlines before setting out as the situation is evolving fast.