THE red weather alert pummelling inland Cadiz has been extended across the population centres and tourism hotspots of the Campo de Gibraltar and Tarifa.
The warning will be in place until at least 3.00pm today as Storm Leonardo brings hurricane-force winds and torrential rain to the region.
The Spanish state meteorological agency, Aemet, warns of ‘extraordinary’ risk levels with accumulated rainfall expected to exceed 120mm in just 12 hours.
READ MORE: Upgraded red weather alerts on Costa del Sol as Storm Leonardo makes landfall
Gusts of up to 100km/h are battering the coast, forcing the closure of parks, cemeteries and municipal offices across Algeciras, La Linea and San Roque.
While Spanish authorities have deployed the military and evacuated hundreds of residents from flood-prone zones, neighbouring Gibraltar remains open for business.
The contrast has caused confusion this morning for thousands of cross-border workers who live in the Spanish ‘red zone’ but work on the Rock.
“There was no queue and no traffic in Gibraltar whatsoever, just a bit of wind and rain,” one La Linea-based employee told the Olive Press.
The Gibraltar Government has issued only a ‘weather advisory’, keeping schools and public counters open.
A statement from Number 6 Convent Place confirmed that civil contingencies are monitoring the situation but services remain ‘functioning as normal’.
Parents on the Rock have been told to use their ‘own judgement’ regarding school attendance, while the only closure reported is the Port Authority counter at Windmill Hill.
Across the frontier, the situation is far more critical.
The Military Emergencies Unit (UME) has been deployed to Algeciras to assist local firefighters and police.
READ MORE: Andalucia schools will shut as storm set to cause continued weather chaos and heavy downpours
Rivers across the region are at breaking point, with the Palmones, Guadarranque and Hozgarganta waterways bursting their banks in several areas.
In Algeciras, 38 people spent the night in a municipal sports centre after being evacuated from their homes.
Residents in the Las Herrizas district have been confined to their properties after the access bridge was cut off by rising waters.
The Charco Redondo reservoir is currently at 97% capacity, heightening fears of further downstream flooding if the rain continues.
Jimena de la Frontera is effectively isolated, with the Guadiaro river cutting off the main A-405 road and leaving the district of San Pablo without electricity.
San Roque Mayor Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix has ordered the closure of all non-essential municipal buildings.
Meanwhile, La Linea is reporting ‘relative normality’ despite the red alert.
Mayor Juan Franco confirmed that recent investments in drainage systems have prevented the historic flooding often seen in the Zabal district.
The main issue facing the border town is wind, with the Camino de Sobrevela closed to traffic, forcing diversions for residents of Santa Margarita.
Andalucia’s emergency services 112 has handled over 120 incidents in the province of Cadiz alone in the last 24 hours.
Regional minister Antonio Sanz warned that the Campo faces a ‘long and worrying day’ as the storm front moves slowly across the Strait.
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