Spain battles heavy rainfall again

In the Andalusian region of Malaga and in the provincial capital of the same name, many streets flooded after heavy rainfall. The Spanish weather service had temporarily declared the highest storm warning level for parts of the Valencia region, the southern province of Malaga and Tarragona in Catalonia. Thousands of residents were evacuated as a precaution.

Rail, car and bus services in Malaga were severely affected, the state television station RTVE reported. Numerous roads, including important traffic arteries, are impassable. The high-speed rail line between Malaga and Madrid had to be temporarily closed. Schools, government buildings and courts remain closed in several parts of the city.

Just two weeks ago, the region around Valencia was hit by a devastating flood. The destruction is enormous and authorities report at least 223 deaths. The search for a further 17 missing people is now proving increasingly difficult due to new rainfall.

In Valencia, where the effects of the recent floods are still being felt, emergency services are working to clear sewers and drains of mud in order to prevent further flooding.

Two weeks ago, many cars were destroyed by the severe flooding. This time, residents in the province of Malaga took unusual steps to protect their vehicles: Some wrapped their cars in foil to protect them from the predicted rain, while others tied them to lampposts to prevent them from being washed away in the event of new flooding.

The Spanish army is continuing its clean-up operations in the disaster region in south-west Valencia. King Felipe VI visited a military base on the outskirts of Valencia on Tuesday to show his support for the emergency services. However, anger continues to grow among those affected by inadequate warnings and the slow pace of aid.

Anger is growing after the floods and the mood in the country remains tense. "It could have been prevented," reads the poster held by a demonstrator in Barcelona. According to Spain's Interior Ministry, tens of thousands of people gathered in cities across the country to protest and demand the resignation of the regional president of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, among other things.

The Spanish weather authority Aemet has now lifted the red alert for the east and south of the country: "The worst of this second area of low pressure is over," it said in a statement. For the coastal areas of the Valencia region and the province of Malaga, the second-highest warning level, orange, now applies instead of the higher red warning level.