Locals flee homes as Spain battered by storm causing streets to turn to rivers

While many Brits see Spain as a country with non-stop sunshine, the country has been ravaged by strong storms that have left dozens of people stranded as they try to evacuate

Spain is being rocked by strong floods caused by storms, forcing locals to flee their homes. Dozens of people have been left stranded across the country as the they are hit by days of poor weather.

Spain is often known as a sun-soaked paradise and is a top getaway destination for many Brits. But in recent days, it has been battered by heavy rain, with weather systems leaving many roads turning to rivers.

Dramatic footage is now emerging of locals running away from affected areas, as the storms continue to make landfall across the nation. Airports have also been affected, meaning thousands of tourists also have no way to get home.

The Sun reports that a large weather system showing persistent low pressure is currently slamming into the Balearic Islands and the Costa Dorada. This includes some of Spain’s most iconic tourist hotspots, including Barcelona, Ibiza and Majorca.

Lightning strikes and high winds have caused airports to close, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stuck in Spain until the storm passes through. But despite this, urgent weather warnings are being issued by the Spanish meteorological service, urging residents to take “extreme precautions” as the storm made its way through on Thursday (November 6).

At least 16 people had to be helped out by emergency services after they became trapped inside lifts due to flooding or electrical failures caused by the fuses becoming waterlogged. In Barcelona, one building was evacuated amid fears the strength of the flooding on the roof could be enough to cause it to collapse.

Horrifying footage of the torrential rain hitting the Mediterranean country shows palm trees toppling down, due to the high winds that are hitting Spain hard. Other videos show roads completely submerged in water, as cars are left abandoned in the street, slowly being carried away by the destructive rain.

According to local media, Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, on of Spain’s busiest and most critical airports, was badly affected due to the fallout from the storms. Some 47 flights had to be cancelled as a result of the downpours, with delays of over 90 minutes expected for many others.

On top of this, several universities across Barcelona were put into lockdown as they advised their students to stay indoors and let the storm pass before anything worse could happen. A red alert is now in place for wind and rain, but is expect to subside over the weekend as it loses its strength.

But while the east of the country bears the brunt of the storm, all parts of the country are being hit hard by the poor weather conditions. Inland, regions such as Andalusia and Aragon have already been placed on high alert, while in Galicia there are already waves reaching as high as 16 metres.

The dramatic footage comes just days after Spain marked the one-year anniversary of the worst natural disaster to ever take place in the nation’s history. Drastic floods that hit the region of Valencia caused immense damage to homes, left thousands without a home claimed the lives of 237 people.

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