The aftermath of storm ‘Leonardo’ in Andalusia has reached a critical scale: the threat of reservoir collapses and rising groundwater levels has led to mass evacuations. For residents of the region, this is not just a weather anomaly—it is about the safety of thousands of families forced to urgently abandon their homes. Authorities have suspended school classes, and entire towns have been cut off from their usual way of life.
The situation has been especially severe in Grazalema, where all residents were evacuated due to dangerous landslides triggered by ongoing heavy rains. According to the head of the autonomous government, Juanma Moreno, residents will not be able to return home for at least a week. On Thursday evening, the town stood deserted as people hurriedly left the streets, fearing new landslides and destruction.
Escalating threat
On Friday morning, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived in the region to personally assess the damage and coordinate emergency response efforts. At the same time in Córdoba, the Guadalquivir River rose above five meters—twice the critical level. Authorities decided to evacuate around 400 families from various neighborhoods to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic floods that struck in February 2010.
Córdoba’s mayor, José María Bellido, noted that the water continues to rise and the peak danger is expected on Friday morning. Emergency services are working around the clock to minimize damage and prevent casualties.
Rescue operations
On Thursday night, the military and Civil Guard officers, together with emergency services, evacuated residents of Benaoján in the province of Málaga. The evacuation was prompted by landslides and the risk of homes collapsing. Additionally, rescue teams pumped out water in the hardest-hit areas, where rainfall reached record levels in recent years.
In the municipality of Sayalonga, in the Axarquía region, the search continues for a woman who disappeared after falling into the Turvilla River. Drones, divers, and mountain rescue teams are involved in the operation. Search efforts have continued day and night, despite severe weather conditions and high water levels.
Event context
A surge in evacuations and road closures in Andalusia had already been discussed in RUSSPAIN.COM reports, where it was noted that Storm ‘Leonardo’ completely disrupted the region’s usual way of life. Thousands were forced to leave their homes, schools and businesses suspended operations, and transport links came to a standstill. The article provided a detailed analysis of the reasons for the mass relocations and the measures taken to protect the population (RUSSPAIN.COM).
Consequences and lessons learned
Natural disasters of this scale are not uncommon in Spain, especially during the winter and spring months. In recent years, the country has faced devastating rains and floods that have led to mass evacuations and significant material losses. In 2019, similar events struck Murcia and Alicante, where a month’s worth of rainfall fell in just a few hours, causing rivers to overflow. The military was also involved at that time, and restoring the infrastructure took months. Each new storm prompts authorities to upgrade alert and emergency response systems to minimize the impact on residents and the economy.
