Lorraine Williamson
A 102-year-old woman has died, and around 90 people have been rescued after torrential rain caused severe flooding in Albacete. Meanwhile, hundreds of weather-related emergency calls were recorded across Murcia and parts of Andalucía.
A major clean-up operation is underway in Madrigueras, Albacete, after 142 litres of rain per square metre fell on the town, inundating streets and homes and sweeping vehicles along in the floodwater. The Castilla-La Mancha government continues to maintain METEOCAM at Emergency Phase, Operational Situation 1, as recovery teams work through the affected areas.
The regional government has also announced that its Council of Government will ask on Tuesday for Madrigueras to be declared a disaster zone, opening the way for additional assistance following the scale of the damage.
102-year-old woman dies as water enters home
The woman died after floodwater entered her home and rose to around one metre inside the property. Emergency services carried out approximately 90 rescues during Friday afternoon and the early hours of the night, predominantly involving people trapped or affected by water entering their homes.
The emergency operation has been reinforced on Saturday with additional GEACAM teams joining firefighters, Guardia Civil, Policía Local, Protección Civil, Cruz Roja, and crews from neighbouring municipalities. Work is focused on clearing debris, removing vehicles displaced by the floods, and helping residents whose properties have been damaged.
The town’s health centre was among the public buildings flooded. Its services have temporarily been transferred to the local Cruz Roja premises so healthcare can continue while the damage is assessed.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the torrential and persistent rain had caused serious damage across several parts of Spain, describing the night in Madrigueras as “especially hard”. He expressed his condolences to the family of the woman who died and his support for those affected, while urging people to follow official emergency advice.
Hundreds of emergency calls in Murcia
Murcia was also badly affected by Friday’s storms. The region’s 112 emergency coordination centre dealt with 424 weather-related calls, with Los Alcázares recording the highest number at 125. Murcia city generated 76 calls, followed by San Javier with 49 and Cartagena with 43.
Of those incidents, 54 involved requests connected with rescues, many concerning vehicles unable to continue or occupants having difficulty getting out. Another 114 calls concerned obstacles on public roads, while emergency services received 50 requests to pump water from homes and businesses.
Flooding causes problems in Andalucía
The same period of unstable weather also caused disruption farther south. Andalucía activated the emergency phase, Operational Situation 1, of its flood-risk plan on Friday as authorities monitored heavy rain and thunderstorms across the region.
By Saturday morning, emergency services reported around 50 incidents in Granada and Jaén, predominantly involving flooded roads and accumulations of water. Authorities said the night itself had passed without major incidents, although the N-323 remained closed in both directions between Cárchel and Cambil in Jaén due to flooding.
Extreme rain has moved across several regions
The flooding in Albacete follows several days of severe weather across eastern Spain. Earlier in the episode, torrential rain caused flooding and widespread disruption in Tarragona, Castellón, and Valencia, with red AEMET warnings, emergency phone alerts, and transport suspensions.
The impact has shifted geographically as the weather system has developed, with Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, and eastern Andalucía among the areas affected later in the week. AEMET continues to warn of showers and thunderstorms in parts of Spain this weekend, meaning local conditions can still deteriorate quickly.
Clean-up continues as weather remains unsettled
In Madrigueras, attention has moved firmly towards recovery. Additional emergency crews are working through Saturday to remove damaged vehicles, clear affected streets, and assist residents, while the regional government prepares its request for disaster-zone status.
Elsewhere, the unsettled spell is not entirely over. AEMET continues to forecast showers and thunderstorms in parts of the country, with very strong storms still possible around sections of the Mediterranean. Anyone travelling through affected areas should check current AEMET warnings and DGT road information before setting out.