Spain: Storm Laurence Brings Floods and Snowfall – Disrupting Transport

Torrential rains and snowfall are being caused by Storm Laurence as it sweeps through Spain. In Andalusia, rivers have overflowed, and roads and railway lines have been cut off, according to local authorities. Storm Laurence has resulted in ‘168 incidents, some serious, in the transport network,’ reported Antonio Santh, regional advisor of Andalusia in southern Spain. He clarified that traffic was interrupted on 35 roads in the region and urged citizens ‘to avoid unnecessary travel.’ According to the Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet), Storm Laurence will cause rainfall across the country tomorrow (18.03.2025) with significant water accumulations in central, southern, and eastern parts of the peninsula. Tomorrow, ‘storms, gale-force winds, and rough seas, particularly in the Canary Islands, are expected,’ Aemet confirmed. Andalusia is under orange alert from 6 PM local time. Nearly 80 millimeters of rain, or 80 liters per square meter, are anticipated in areas from Ronda to Malaga within 12 hours. In the province of Huelva, firefighters evacuated residents due to the rising level of the Odiel River in flooded zones. Water reached some homes, they reported. The rail link from El Sorbíto to Arahal on the Seville-Malaga line has been disrupted due to water accumulation on the tracks, according to the rail network operator Adi. Additionally, train services between Niebla and San Juan del Puerto on the Huelva-Seville axis were suspended for several hours. Storm Laurence is also causing heavy snowfall at the Sierra Nevada ski resort near Granada, where authorities warn of potential avalanches.