Spain downgrades storm warnings after towns left soaked but without casualties

By Michael Francis Gore and Vincent West

Spain's national weather service on Thursday downgraded bad weather alerts after powerful storms hit southern Malaga province and eastern Valencia, already battered by deadly flash floods two weeks ago, causing damage but no casualties.

Local authorities maintained orange weather alerts, the second highest level, and continued caution in Andalusia and Valencia and referenced further storms in the provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, Seville, Alicante and Valencia.

Emergency services in Malaga kept almost 4,000 people who were evacuated because of a flood risk out of their homes, while schools stayed closed in the province and in different towns in Granada, Sevilla, Cadiz and Huelva. Half a million children in total stayed away from Andalusian schools on Wednesday.

"We continue to monitor (the storm's) progress in all provinces. Caution until the end," Andalusia regional head Juanma Moreno said on X on Thursday.

The emergency committee in Valencia, where there were concerns about the potential impact of more rainfall in areas with significant quantities of mud already and damaged sewage systems, said the areas affected by the deadly storms were not hit this time.

It lifted a ban on the use of private cars and allowed schools to reopen from midday after the worst of the storm passed, the spokesperson for the emergency committee, Rosa Touris, told reporters.

High-speed trains between Madrid and Valencia, suspended since the Oct. 29 storm, were expected to resume from midday, and the train connection between Valencia and Barcelona also started running again on Thursday, the Transport Ministry said.

The latest storms, and robust preparations for their arrival, came after fierce criticism, primarily of local authorities but also national government, for their level of preparation for and warnings to citizens about the Oct. 29 storm and resulting floods mainly in Valencia, which killed more than 200 people.