Floods in Portugal and Spain: massive losses after torrential rain, weather risk persists

Two powerful storm systems hit the Iberian Peninsula last week, bringing exceptionally heavy rainfall and strong winds. Floods in Portugal disrupted the course of Sunday’s presidential election, and initial estimates of losses reach 4 billion euros. Severe damage was also recorded in Spain’s Andalusia and in Morocco.

Andalusia under water

Since the beginning of 2026, six storms with heavy rainfall have already developed over the Iberian Peninsula, with the last two leaving a lasting mark on the residents of Andalusia. The low-pressure system Leonardo, which reached southern Spain in the middle of last week, forced the evacuation of 11,000 people.

Last Saturday, storm Marta moved over Andalusia with another wave of torrential rain, worsening the already difficult hydrological situation in the region. In the town of Grazalema, more than 700 mm of rain has fallen since 4 February, which is equivalent to the country’s average annual total.

Widespread flooding was accompanied by dangerous landslides that led to the closure of more than 100 roads across the region. According to the regional president Juanma Moreno, repairs will cost more than 500 million euros. The tourism and agriculture sectors also suffered enormous losses. Farmers report flooded fields of carrots, cauliflowers and broccoli, appealing to the government for rapid assistance.

In mountainous areas around Malaga, heavy rainfall undermined ground stability, causing noticeable tremors over several consecutive days. Experts are monitoring the geological situation on site.

Costly floods in Portugal and Morocco

In Portugal, storm Leonardo was preceded by storm Kristin, which claimed five lives and left hundreds injured. Last week’s weather disaster caused two more fatalities and forced the evacuation of 1,100 people.

Waves along the coast reached heights of 13 m, and most rivers experienced severe flooding, with the most dangerous situation recorded on the Tagus near Lisbon and on the Sado River. José Pimenta Machado, president of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), confirmed that in just three days dams released a volume of water equivalent to the country’s annual consumption.

Portugal’s Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday that preliminary estimates put losses in the agricultural and forestry sectors at around 750 million euros, while Prime Minister Luís Montenegro stated that total damage will exceed 4 billion euros. According to analysts, the recent weather disasters strengthened public support for António José Seguro of the Socialist Party, who convincingly won Sunday’s presidential election. In some municipalities, voters reached polling stations by boat, and in three towns voting was postponed.

Intense low-pressure systems also affected Morocco, where authorities report five fatalities. In the northwestern part of the country, more than 150,000 people were forced to leave their homes.

Meteorologists warn of further rainfall

Flooding in Portugal and Spain may unfortunately continue. Portuguese meteorological services, the Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), issued an orange alert for tomorrow in six northern districts, from Aveiro to Viana do Castelo. Rain is also expected in the central part of the country, with similar conditions forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Spanish agency AEMET has also issued an orange alert for Andalusia for the next three days, with daily rainfall totals in Grazalema potentially reaching up to 150 mm. Rain is also expected tomorrow in Galicia. Given saturated soils and swollen rivers, the risk of further flooding and landslides remains high.

According to meteorologists, the cause of the extreme rainfall over the Iberian Peninsula is an unusual southward shift of the jet stream, which allows low-pressure systems to stall over the region. The storms are further fueled by atmospheric rivers carrying tropical moisture from the Caribbean.