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ARCHIVED - Catastrophic floods in Huelva, Andalusia: red weather warnings as region receives more rain than expected
Several roads have been closed down and vehicles have been abandoned underwater in the flash floods
The province of Huelva in Andalucía has been put on a Level 1 Emergency Plan due to heavy flooding. The rainfall received by the region today has been heavier than expected, and has caused water damage to properties and cars.
Thankfully, no one has been hurt in the floods so far, but emergency services have been deployed to all affected areas to try to help residents as much as possible.
Emergencias 112 Andalucía have already responded to more than 600 due to the flooding of homes, businesses, public facilities, garages, basements, offices, schools and buildings, mainly in Huelva’s coastal towns.
Emergency situations on Huelva roads
On Huelva’s roads, warnings have been issued for pools of water at kilometre 145 of the N-433 as it passes through Rosal de la Frontera and on the A-5052 in Cartaya. Several vehicles have become stuck on the A-5056 in Lepe and more have been stranded underwater on the A-5053 in Cartaya, two areas that have been particularly affected.
This is a small town called Lepe, situated between Huelva & Portugal. The rains have cometh and when it rains in Spain, it rains rains... https://t.co/QyHKFvgvNm
— SEVILLA - S P U R S 🇪🇸🏴 (@ExpoSpurs) September 23, 2021
The A-5053 at kilometre 1.5 as it passes through Cartaya and the N-431 at kilometre 111 in Cartaya are both blocked due to the rain. Meanwhile, there is heavy traffic and unsafe driving conditions on the A-497 in Aljaraque, where the right lane towards Punta Umbría is also blocked.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) activated a one-hour red warning for rain on the Huelva coast between 12pm and 1pm in response to the 60 litres per square metre that fell in just one hour. The who province will remain on orange alert at least until 9pm this Thursday, with rainfall expected of up to 40 litres per square metre per hour.
Juanma Moreno, President of the Andalusian regional government, called it a “sad” situation, as in September the south of Spain goes “from fires to floods” in reference to the wildfire that blighted the Sierra Bermeja in Málaga earlier this month. He highlighted the fact that catastrophes such as these show that we have to fight against the climate crisis “with determination”.
🔴 Hemos activado el Nivel 1 del Plan de Emergencias ante Riesgo de Inundaciones en la provincia de Huelva por las intensas lluvias. Por favor, mucho cuidado.
— Juanma Moreno (@JuanMa_Moreno) September 23, 2021
Precaución, ante todo. Sigamos las recomendaciones de los servicios de emergencia que ya trabajan en la zona. pic.twitter.com/mfBSQDJJL9
Image: Susana Díaz
