Flooded schools, record rainfall... Seville and Andalusia hit by torrential rains

A powerful downpour swept across Andalusia on Wednesday, particularly affecting the province of Seville and the Huelva coastline. Throughout the day, emergency services received over 1,000 calls reporting flooding of patios, houses, garages, streets, and businesses. In Seville, more than 700 incidents have been recorded since the night, when 115 liters per square meter fell, a record since 1997, with peaks of 25 liters per square meter in a single hour, according to the municipal water company Emasesa. The total rainfall alone represents "one-fifth of the annual average," added Seville's technical services, as reported by the website Infobae .

In the Andalusian capital, several roads were closed and detours were in place throughout the day, before the situation gradually returned to normal by the end of the day. Universities were closed, and the metro system was out of service for much of the day before reopening.

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The Huelva coastline remains under a red alert, the highest level issued by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET), with rainfall exceeding 60 liters/m² in one hour and 120 liters/m² in twelve hours, accompanied by the possibility of flash floods. To alert the population, an alert message was sent to the phones of residents in 43 municipalities starting at 9:45 a.m. An orange alert remains in effect for the province of Seville overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, with the possibility of additional rainfall of 70 to 80 liters/m².

The rains have already caused numerous incidents: in Villablanca, two people were trapped inside a house, while the Juan Ramón Jimenez school in Cartaya was flooded. Streets like Punta Umbría in Ayamonte and industrial buildings in the La Paz industrial park in Huelva have also been affected, with fallen trees and flooded squares and avenues.

In Málaga , a woman in her eighties had to be rescued. The violent weather phenomena are not limited to Huelva. In the province of Cádiz, a waterspout struck Costa Ballena, causing trees to fall and damage to an avenue.