Two people have been killed after a sudden and severe bout of torrential rainfall triggered devastating flash flooding across Spain's popular Costa del Sol region over the weekend. Emergency services were placed on high alert as rivers burst their banks, sweeping vehicles away and forcing dozens of evacuations.
Deaths and Disruption Across Southern Spain
The extreme weather, which struck on the weekend of Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December 2025, led to a tragic loss of life. In the province of Malaga, a man died after the van he was travelling in was caught in a powerful current and swept away by an overflowing riverbed. A search operation remains active for a passenger from the vehicle who is still missing.
In a separate incident in the province of Granada, a young person lost their life after being carried away by floodwaters while attempting to cross a riverbed on a motorbike. The force of the sudden deluge proved fatal in both cases.
Widespread Damage and Emergency Response
The impact of the storms was felt far beyond the immediate Costa del Sol area. In Barcelona, high winds toppled a lamppost which struck a woman, leaving her hospitalised with injuries. Dozens of residents had to be evacuated from a building damaged by the severe conditions.
Meteorological agencies issued a cascade of extreme weather warnings across multiple provinces. The region of Valencia was placed under a red alert, the highest level, indicating a significant threat to life. Emergency services reported being inundated with hundreds of calls for assistance, leading to numerous rescues of people trapped by rising waters.
Conditions Ease but Clean-Up Begins
By Monday 29 December, the intense rainfall had subsided and weather warnings were gradually lifted, allowing authorities and residents to begin assessing the full scale of the damage. The sudden nature of the flooding caused major disruption to transport and infrastructure in the affected areas, which are major hubs for international tourism.
This event underscores the increasing volatility of weather patterns in the Mediterranean region, where short periods of intense rainfall can lead to catastrophic flash flooding. Local officials are now coordinating the clean-up operation while investigations into the precise circumstances of the fatalities continue.
