STORM Leonardo is set to lash a large swathe of the Costa del Sol with ‘extraordinarily dangerous’ downpours in the coming hours, following upgraded weather alerts.
Spain’s state weather agency, AEMET, issued a new red alert early on Wednesday for an area stretching from Ronda, in Malaga province, to Algeciras, Sotogrande and the Strait of Gibraltar in Cadiz province.
AEMET has urged residents to avoid riverbeds and flood-prone areas amid updated forecasts predicting rainfall totals of up to 250 litres per square metre in less than 24 hours.
The warning will remain in force until midnight on Thursday.
The latest forecasts mark an escalation from earlier red alerts, which had warned of up to 200 litres per square metre in a smaller zone covering the Serrania de Ronda and Grazalema.
AEMET placed the rest of the Costa del Sol on an orange alert amid forecasts of torrential rains, battering winds and rough seas.
On Tuesday, Ronda’s town council evacuated residents from rural areas in Navares y Tejares, Llano de la Cruz and La Indiana over fears of rising rivers and potential flooding.
Schools will remain closed on Wednesday across Andalucia – with the exception of Almeria – following an order from the regional government.
READ MORE: Andalucia schools will shut as storm set to cause continued weather chaos and heavy downpours
A red AEMET warning is the most serious weather alert possible, signalling an extreme threat to life and property and urging people to avoid travel, stay indoors and follow official instructions to the letter.
Andalucia activated yesterday its ‘Level Two’ emergency plan – a major escalation that unlocks regional and national resources and boosts coordination between agencies.
Storm Leonardo made landfall in southern Spain early on Wednesday.
It is set to batter the region with relentless rain bands, powerful gusts and pounding coastal swell, raising the risk of flash floods, overflowing rivers and widespread disruption.
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