Spain orders Piedralaves evacuation as storm Bruna flood risk grows
Authorities ordered residents of Piedralaves, Ávila, to evacuate over fears the Horcajo dam could overflow, as storm Bruna brought a red rain alert to the region.
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Authorities order the evacuation of Piedralaves, Ávila, over fears the Horcajo dam could overflow.
Authorities sent an emergency alert ordering residents of Piedralaves, in Ávila province, to evacuate on Tuesday morning over fears that the nearby Horcajo dam could overflow, Spain's regional civil protection agency said, according to RTVE. The evacuation came as storm Bruna brought a red alert, Spain's highest warning level, to southern Ávila, with up to 120 litres of rain per square metre forecast in 12 hours.
Castilla y León's regional government raised its flood emergency plan for Ávila province to level two on Monday, up from level one, and suspended classes in schools across 32 municipalities, RTVE reported. Residents of Piedralaves were told to go to the town's municipal hall or the San Juan de la Cruz school, and to follow instructions from the authorities.
The red alert covers about 49,000 people across those 32 municipalities. AEMET expects the heaviest rain between 9am and midnight on Tuesday, with hourly totals of around 30 litres per square metre, EFE reported. Over 72 hours, accumulated rainfall in the area could reach 200 to 300 litres per square metre.
A second storm, Charles, is forecast to bring further heavy rain and strong winds across much of Spain, including the Canary Islands, from Tuesday into Thursday, RTVE reported. Gusts of 70 to 80 km/h are already forecast in Ávila and Salamanca.
Neighbouring Cáceres province is also under a red alert, and the regional government of Extremadura has suspended classes in non-university schools in the north of the province while the alert lasts, RTVE reported.
Temperatures will stay mild for the time of year despite the storms, with highs forecast around 25°C in Bilbao, 18°C in Madrid and 28°C in Murcia, RTVE reported, citing AEMET.
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What we know
- Official · Castilla y León civil protection Authorities ordered the evacuation of Piedralaves, Ávila, on Tuesday morning over fears the Horcajo dam could overflow, RTVE reported.
- Official · Castilla y León government Castilla y León raised its flood emergency plan for Ávila to level two, up from level one, as storm Bruna brought a red alert covering about 49,000 people in 32 municipalities.
- Official · AEMET AEMET forecasts up to 120 litres of rain per square metre in 12 hours in southern Ávila, with 200 to 300 litres possible over 72 hours.
- Official · AEMET, Extremadura government Neighbouring Cáceres is also under a red alert; schools have suspended classes there and in Ávila.
- Official · AEMET A second storm, Charles, is expected to bring further heavy rain and strong winds to much of Spain, including the Canary Islands, from Tuesday.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
A red alert is Spain's highest warning level, reserved for what AEMET calls extraordinary danger, and the for Piedralaves shows officials now see a real risk of a dam overflow, not just heavy rain. With storm Charles following behind Bruna, authorities expect the flood risk to persist into Wednesday and Thursday across a wide part of western and central Spain.
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Authorities order the evacuation of Piedralaves, Ávila, over fears the Horcajo dam could overflow.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- EFE: Peligro extraordinario por fuertes lluvias el martes en Ávila: 120 litros por metro cuadrado en doce horas
- EFE: Alerta roja en el sur de Ávila para 49.000 personas de 32 municipios y clases suspendidas
- RTVE Noticias: El tiempo hoy 10 de noviembre en España: lluvias y vientos muy fuertes con aviso rojo en Ávila y Cáceres
- EFE: La lluvia azota amplias zonas de España, Ávila y Cáceres en alerta roja por 120 litros/12 horas
- La Razón: Última hora de la borrasca Bruna, en directo: alerta roja de la AEMET por lluvias intensas en Ávila y Cáceres
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Questions and answers
- Why was Piedralaves evacuated?
- Authorities feared the nearby Horcajo dam could overflow as storm Bruna brought heavy rain, and sent an emergency alert telling residents to evacuate, RTVE reported.
- How much rain is expected in Ávila?
- AEMET forecasts up to 120 litres per square metre in 12 hours on Tuesday, with 200 to 300 litres possible over 72 hours.
- Are other areas affected?
- Yes, Cáceres is also under a red alert, and a second storm, Charles, is forecast to bring more heavy rain and strong winds from Tuesday.
This article was written with AI assistance from 5 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.