Storm Leonardo Ravages Spain and Portugal: One Dead, 7,000 Evacuated, Election Faces Delay Calls
February 6, 2026
Heavy rains and strong winds from Storm Leonardo battered Spain and Portugal on Friday. At least one man died in Portugal, and a young girl is missing in southern Spain’s Andalucía. Over 7,000 people were evacuated mainly from areas near rivers due to rising floodwaters. The Portuguese government extended the state of calamity in 69 municipalities until mid-February. Floods badly affected the Guadalquivir River area near Córdoba, Spain, forcing urgent evacuations. Mountain village Grazalema saw 1,500 residents flee as water seeped into homes. Andalucía’s president, Juan Manuel Moreno, warned that full aquifers could trigger landslides, saying, “This could cause large holes or ditches. If this happens under a house or street, the result could be dramatic.” Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez planned to visit the worst-hit areas. The heavy rains damaged Spain’s olive harvest, with losses estimated at €200m (£174m). Spain’s weather office forecast more heavy rainfall from Storm Marta on Saturday. In Portugal’s Porto, the River Douro overflowed, causing minor floods. The flood threat on the Tagus River is the worst in nearly 30 years, said Mario Silvestre, commander of Portugal’s civil protection. Meanwhile, calls emerged to postpone Portugal’s presidential runoff scheduled for Sunday. Far-right leader André Ventura said the vote should be delayed by a week for fairness. But the national electoral authority rejected the postponement, stating bad weather alone was not a reason to delay voting. Scientists warn that climate change is making such extreme weather events more frequent and severe in the region. Reuters, AP, and AFP contributed to this report.
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Tags:
Storm Leonardo
Spain Floods
Portugal Floods
Andalucía Evacuation
Portugal Election
Extreme Weather
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