"In Grazalema, in southern Spain, more than 700mm of rain has fallen since Wednesday, roughly equivalent to the country's average annual rainfall. Across Andalucia, about 3,500 people have been evacuated, with roads and schools closed, and transport networks disrupted. Spain's state meteorological agency, Aemet, issued its highest red alert for heavy rainfall in Cadiz and parts of Malaga, where around 150mm was recorded in only 12 hours on Thursday."
"Portugal, still recovering from Storm Kristin, which killed at least five people last week, has also been badly affected. Fresh downpours have triggered flooding, landslides and falling trees, forcing more than 200 people to evacuate. On Wednesday, another death was reported in the southern Alentejo region after a man's car was washed away by flood waters. The storm's effects extend beyond Europe."
"The extreme rainfall is being driven by an unusually southward-shifted jet stream, allowing Leonardo to intensify and stall over the region. The storm has also merged with an atmospheric river carrying tropical moisture from the Caribbean, continually replenishing the rainfall. With soils already saturated and rivers swollen after weeks of wet weather, the risk of further flooding and landslides remains high, particularly in southern Spain."
Storm Leonardo has battered the Iberian Peninsula with torrential rain and strong winds, causing widespread disruption, flooding and large-scale evacuations across Spain and Portugal. Grazalema recorded more than 700mm of rain since Wednesday, roughly equivalent to Spain's annual average. Andalucia had about 3,500 people evacuated, roads and schools closed, and transport networks disrupted, while Malaga reported a missing child swept away by a river. Portugal experienced fresh downpours, landslides and fallen trees with over 200 people evacuated and at least one recent fatality. Northern Morocco faced flash floods forcing more than 100,000 people to evacuate. An unusually southward jet stream and an atmospheric river from the Caribbean have intensified and sustained the rainfall, leaving soils saturated, rivers swollen and the risk of further flooding and landslides elevated as the storm lingers near the northwest.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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