Popular Spanish holiday hotspots are bracing themselves for the fourth storm named in less than two weeks as Storm Martinho sweeps in bringing with it 70mph winds and torrential rain. Widespread warnings have been issued from the nation’s forecaster Aemet. The storm is also expected to disrupt flights, roads and the rail network.
In Madrid, emergency services are on high alert after authorities were forced to release water from the El Pardo dam due to dangerous river levels. The Manzanares River, already swollen by relentless rain, saw its water flow double as authorities at the El Pardo dam increased discharges from 14 to 30 cubic meters per second. At its peak, up to 60,000 litres per second were released in a desperate attempt to control water levels.
The rainiest March in Madrid’s history is keeping the capital on edge with officials urging residents to exercise extreme caution. As of Tuesday (March 18), 188 liters per square meter were recorded at the Retiro station, easily surpassing the previous record of 140 liters per square meter for the entire month of March in 2018.
Earlier this week in the capital, the water level of the Manzanares River rose so high that the City Council prohibited pedestrian access to the exposed riverbanks in the city, from Mingorrubio to the Puente de los Franceses.
Madrid City Council warned: “There are riverbanks that are dangerous for pedestrians.”
In a post on X, Policía Municipal de Madrid urged locals to not “approach the river area or pedestrian paths”.
Shocked residents say they have never seen the river like this, with the Mingorrubio footbridge almost completely submerged in water.
Locals have gathered at the Capuchinos de Fuencarral bridge to capture the rising water levels on their phones. “Normally, there is a trickle of water passing under the central arch of the bridge. It’s spectacular to see it like this with the entire riverbed full,” said a resident.
The flooding has led to the closure of major parks and sports complexes. Madrid’s Policia Municipal, forest rangers, and an army unit have been deployed to patrol high-risk areas, using drones to monitor flood-prone zones.
Madrid’s Sierra region is under a yellow weather warning for rainfall, with more than 60mm of rain expected in 24 hours. With more downpours expected in the coming hours acrosss the region Mardid remains on high alert.
The city’s Regional Flood Plan’s emergency level one remains in effect, activated on Monday.