Powerful storms have battered Spain and Portugal, bringing heavy rain, snow, and strong winds to the Iberian Peninsula. Several fatalities have been reported, while the latest storm, Marta, has caused severe disruption to daily life and inflicted tens of millions of euros in damage to the agricultural sector of both countries.
In northern Spain, a snowplow driver died on Saturday after losing control of his vehicle during heavy snowfall. In Portugal’s Campo Maior region, a 46-year-old man drowned in a swollen river. Over the past week, storms Leonardo and Marta have brought the death toll to five.
Southern Spain’s Andalusia region has been the hardest hit, where more than 11,000 residents have been forced to evacuate due to flooding and hazardous conditions.
Severe rainfall has caused widespread travel chaos. At least 170 roads in Spain have been closed, while train services across Portugal have been disrupted. The extreme weather also forced the postponement of a major La Liga match between Sevilla and Girona.
Portugal’s agriculture ministry estimated initial losses to the agriculture and forestry sectors at around €750 million (US$890 million). Spanish farmers reported that thousands of hectares of broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower fields are now submerged underwater.
Farmers’ associations in both countries have described the situation as a “major natural disaster” and are calling for urgent government assistance. Excessive flooding has also raised concerns about landslides and ground instability. Residents in some mountainous areas of Andalusia reported tremors, prompting the Spanish government to deploy geological specialists to assess the situation.
Water levels in the Guadalquivir River have reached dangerous heights, leading to precautionary evacuations along its banks. In Portugal, authorities have mobilized 26,500 emergency personnel to assist in rescue and disaster response operations.
Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera.