The Iberian peninsula has been positioned below extreme climate alerts as Storm Leonardo continues to batter elements of Spain and Portugal with torrential rain and powerful winds.
Since Tuesday, the slow-moving system has introduced widespread disruption, flooding and evacuations. In Grazalema, in southern Spain, greater than 700mm of rain has fallen since Wednesday, roughly equal to the nation’s common annual rainfall.
Throughout Andalucía, about 3,500 individuals have been evacuated, with roads and faculties closed, and transport networks disrupted. Spain’s state meteorological company, Aemet, issued its highest crimson alert for heavy rainfall in Cádiz and elements of Málaga, the place round 150mm was recorded in solely 12 hours on Thursday.
In Málaga province, a lady has been reported lacking after being swept away by the Turvilla river, with emergency providers persevering with search efforts.
Portugal, nonetheless recovering from Storm Kristin, which killed a minimum of 5 individuals final week, has additionally been badly affected. Contemporary downpours have triggered flooding, landslides and falling bushes, forcing greater than 200 individuals to evacuate. On Wednesday, one other dying was reported within the southern Alentejo area after a person’s automobile was washed away by flood waters.
The storm’s results lengthen past Europe. In northern Morocco, flash floods brought on by overflowing rivers and reservoirs have pressured greater than 100,000 individuals to evacuate, with town of Ksar El-Kebir within the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima area among the many worst-affected.
The intense rainfall is being pushed by an unusually southward-shifted jet stream, permitting Leonardo to accentuate and stall over the area. The storm has additionally merged with an “atmospheric river” carrying tropical moisture from the Caribbean, frequently replenishing the rainfall. With soils already saturated and rivers swollen after weeks of moist climate, the danger of additional flooding and landslides stays excessive, significantly in southern Spain.
Leonardo is anticipated to linger close to the north-west of the Iberian peninsula into early subsequent week, bringing continued unsettled situations. Northern and central Portugal might obtain a further 150-250mm of rain by the top of the week.
In the meantime, Tropical Storm Penha developed from an space of low strain over the Philippine Sea late on Tuesday and tracked westwards in direction of Mindanao. By Thursday, the system was producing wind gusts of as much as 45mph earlier than making landfall in Surigao del Sur on Thursday.
Storm surges of as much as two metres are anticipated throughout coastal areas, and warnings for heavy rainfall have been issued farther inland, with 200-300mm of rain anticipated inside 24 hours. Sustained winds of 38-55mph are forecast, rising the danger of injury to buildings and vegetation. After landfall, Penha is anticipated to weaken because it strikes throughout northern Mindanao and Negros island, earlier than dissipating close to Palawan island.
