Tom Ewart Smith
SNOWY conditions are wreaking havoc in central and northern Spain as temperatures plummet across the country.
In Madrid, a total of 29 roads have been affected by snow and ice today, according to the Spanish traffic authority (DGT).
It said in a post on X that the most affected areas are Teruel, Avila, Segovia and the north of the Madrid region.
Multiple cars have become stuck after veering off the roads, while many routes have been closed off to lorries and large trucks.
In Avila, two hikers had to be rescued from the Sierra de Gredos on Sunday after being caught in a snowstorm.
At around midnight on Sunday, emergency services in Castilla y Leon (112) received a call from the Laguna Grande de Gredos refuge, reporting that two hikers who had a reservation had failed to arrive.
READ MORE: Watch: Elderly expat couple and dogs are rescued from caravan during flash floods in southern Spain
Attempts to contact them by phone were unsuccessful. With heavy snow complicating the search, the Civil Protection and Emergency Agency launched a major rescue effort, led by the CCE technical team with an advanced command post and a logistical emergency support unit.
Meanwhile, the Guardia Civil activated its mountain rescue unit (GREIM), deploying specialists from El Barco de Avila, Navacerrada, Riaza, and Arenas de San Pedro.
Efforts to reach the Laguna Grande de Gredos refuge on Sunday were unsuccessful due to deep snow and extreme conditions.
The search resumed early Monday morning at 6am, when a Castilla y Leon 112 helicopter was able to reach the northern part of the mountain range.
The crew spotted the hikers on a ledge in the Los Barrerones area and successfully airlifted them to safety. They were fortunately both in a stable condition.
Their proper equipment and preparation for high-risk routes were crucial in helping them withstand the ordeal.
It comes as extreme weather is also affecting the south and east of Spain, where heavy rain and winds are expected to endure for the rest of the week.
An elderly couple had to be rescued from their caravan amid flash floods in Almeria, Andalucia on Sunday.
The French residents, aged 78 and 79, were almost carried away by rising rapids in Cuevas de Almanzora.
Yellow and orange alerts have been issued along the Costa del Sol and parts of Valencia and Alicante today, with warnings of more flooding.
The French couple rescued yesterday were taken by surprise when a rapid washed over a parking area next to Quitapellejos beach.
The wife had called police in a panic, saying in broken Spanish that the water had begun entering their caravan.
Authorities immediately launched a rescue operation after the woman was able to communicate with an Guardia Civil officer in English, leading them to their location.
Rescuers arrived to the find the couple waving lanterns inside their trapped vehicle in a bid to get their attention.
Officers had to wade through waist-high water to reach the couple and their two pet dogs.
The man and woman were evacuated to a hospital as they showed signs of hypothermia and disorientation. They are expected to make a full recovery.
Police and firefighters carried out more than 20 rescue operations in Almeria on Sunday, with many people becoming trapped in their cars.
Some people had also become trapped following several landslides in the province.
Video footage shared online at the weekend showed streets in Almeria turned into rapids amid the downpour.
