Spain weather warning as Irish on holiday face dangerous Status Red rain in tourist hotspots

A dry summer in Spain has given way to an autumn of freak, dangerous weather events, with Status Red alerts now in place for several popular resorts in the Costa del Sol.

Irish holidaymakers heading to Spain over the coming days are being urgently warned to prepare for severe weather, including heavy rain and flooding, that could cause major disruptions in parts of the country.

In Malaga, Marbella, Torremolinos and Fuengirola - holiday hotspots beloved by Irish tourists - thousands of residents are facing evacuation orders due to the risk of flooding.

Spain's Civil Protection Agency sent a mass alert to phones in the Malaga province just after 10pm last night warning in both Spanish and English: “Red warning activated. Extreme risk of rainfall. Be very cautious, avoid travel.” All schools in the province have been shut, affecting an estimated 300,000 students.

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The country's national forecaster, AEMET, urged both locals and tourists alike to prepare for "very heavy to torrential rain and showers".

In a special weather advisory, it explained that a low-pressure system, known as DANA, will move from France into the Iberian Peninsula, bringing intense rainfall and strong winds. The worst weather is expected from Tuesday, November 12, unril Friday, November 15, with rain accumulations of up to 150mm in some areas.

Images from yesterday showed frightened locals boarding up the doors to their homes or laying sandbags in front of them as they prepared for what was to come. Residents in some coastal areas wrapped their cars in plastic sheeting to try and protect them from flooding. Supermarkets have been stripped of products like mineral water and meat in parts of Malaga as residents started stockpiling supplies, Mirror UK reports.

Another area on red alert, Castellon north of Valencia, got an early taste of DANA, the latest extreme weather phenomenon to affect Spain. Places like the town of Benicarlo, famous for its annual music festival, and Vinaros were among the worst places hit.

Bins were seen floating down the street on the waters last night as motorists struggled to avoid them. School closures today because of the bad weather will also affect thousands of children on the northern part of the Costa Blanca including Denia and Calpe near Benidorm.

The city of Valencia and some of its suburbs, still recovering from the catastrophic floods late last month, also decided to suspend classes.

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