Irish government issue travel alert for Spain as travellers ask if it’s safe

The Irish government has issued a travel alert for Spain as travellers are asking if it’s safe.

Many areas in the south and east of the country have been devastated by extreme flooding, with 158 people reported to have lost their lives.

One of the most hit areas is the region of Valencia which was hit with torrential rains that triggered flash flooding.

Read more: Spain weather: Multiple deaths as floods in Spain destroy towns amid severe storms

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Images and videos coming out of the area show entire towns and villages under water.

A red weather warning has been issued for the Spanish province of Huelva, with more torrential rains in towns such as Cartaya forecast.

The Department of Foreign Affairs shared a travel alert on their website for Irish people in the area or those that are considering heading to the affected areas.

They said: “Many areas in the east and south of Spain are experiencing severe flooding and extreme weather conditions, with transport links adversely affected. You can monitor information and alerts, including severe weather warnings, on the website of the Spanish Meteorological Agency, AEMET. Citizens are advised to check the latest weather information before they travel and to follow the advice of the local authorities."

They added: “For up-to-date information, please see the following on X.com:

• Protección Civil (@proteccioncivil) / X
• Policía Nacional (@policia) / X
• Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) / X
• UME (@UMEgob) / X
• Valencia Government @generalitat
• Valencia Emergency Coordination @GVA112
• Government Delegation in Valencia @DGobiernoCV

“As part of their Safe Tourism campaign, the Spanish National Police have published useful information for tourists, which can be found on their website.”

The weather in Spain has been incredibly devastating as the country is not accustomed to such massive downpours.

The municipality of Chiva, found to the west of Valencia, was hit with around 491mm of rain within eight hours, while surrounding areas received 100-200mm of rain.

The BBC also reported that over 20,000 lightning strikes have been recorded.