MADRID (AP) — Severe flash floods, triggered by heavy downpours, prompted officials in southern Spain to evacuate over 350 homes, close roads, and cancel classes on Tuesday. The situation escalated late on Monday when regional authorities ordered the evacuation of 365 homes in the village of Campanillas, located near Malaga city, after a nearby river overflowed its banks. The evacuated residents were accommodated overnight in a municipal sports hall.

Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's interior chief, reported that on Tuesday, 19 rivers across the Andalusia region were placed on red alert due to flooding risks as bad weather extended from Malaga on the southern coast to more inland areas around Sevilla and Cordoba. The flooding led to the closure of a total of 40 highways throughout Andalusia, in addition to various rail lines that were also affected by rising water levels.

This region of Malaga has a recent history of significant flooding, having faced severe weather in November that resulted in widespread devastation, particularly in eastern Spain where heavy rains claimed 233 lives, mostly in Valencia. The recent multiple days of rainfall have been particularly impactful in the south of Spain, where reservoirs and riverbanks were overwhelmed by the volume of water.

Spain has been grappling with a prolonged drought in recent years, yet the past two weeks have seen consistent rainfall, which has further exacerbated the situation created by the latest storm. The stark contrast between extreme dry and wet periods has been increasingly associated with climate change, according to scientists and government officials. This phenomenon has also contributed to hotter summers in Spain, raising concerns about the broader implications of changing climate patterns.