Spain Flood Alert: Google Map Shows 35 Areas at Risk as Storm Leonardo Arrives
- Spain is facing heightened flood risk across multiple regions, prompting the launch of a new tool from Google to help citizens monitor conditions in real-time.
- To address the growing concern, Google has activated Flood Hub, an interactive map designed to display hydrological risk levels across Spain and much of Europe.
- Flood Hub is described as similar to Google Maps, providing a visual representation of risk in the same way Maps displays traffic conditions.
Spain is facing heightened flood risk across multiple regions, prompting the launch of a new tool from Google to help citizens monitor conditions in real-time. The increased risk is driven by persistent rainfall throughout January and the arrival of Storm Leonardo, bringing intense and sustained precipitation beginning .
Google’s Flood Hub: An Interactive Risk Map
To address the growing concern, Google has activated Flood Hub, an interactive map designed to display hydrological risk levels across Spain and much of Europe. The platform leverages artificial intelligence, hydrological data, and satellite imagery to predict both river floods and urban flash floods. Users can simply enter a town, city, or region into the platform’s search bar to view current flood risk, official alert levels, and forecasts for the coming days. The system uses color-coding and markers to visually represent the level of danger.
Flood Hub is described as similar to Google Maps, providing a visual representation of risk in the same way Maps displays traffic conditions. It combines meteorological forecasts, hydrological data, satellite images, and historical flood records, processing this information through AI models to anticipate how water levels will behave.
Areas at Highest Risk
As of , the map identifies 35 areas across Spain as being on alert for potential flooding. Andalusia is currently the most severely affected region, with several locations near the Guadalquivir River facing extreme risk. Specifically, the Old Bed of the Barbate River in Cádiz and the Guadiana River along the border with Portugal are also categorized as extreme risk areas.
In Seville, the Huesna reservoir is under surveillance, though currently at a lower risk level than other areas. Castilla y León is largely at a warning level, but two locations along the Duero River are designated as extreme risk. Galicia also shows three areas of concern: the Barrié de la Maza reservoir (La Coruña), and the Sil and Miño rivers in Ourense.
Additional areas flagged for potential flooding include the Turia River in Teruel, the Jarama River, and the Entrepeñas reservoir (Guadalajara), the latter of which is also considered an extreme risk.
Forecasts and Infrastructure Concerns
Forecasts for the coming week indicate that some areas could receive over 300 liters of rainfall per square meter, particularly in the Sierra de Grazalema, the Serranía de Ronda, and western Pontevedra. The GloFAS prediction system also warns of potential river overflows in the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, the upper Segura, and tributaries of the Tajo and Duero rivers.
Concerns have been raised regarding the preparedness of Spain’s infrastructure to handle such intense rainfall. Experts suggest that existing infrastructure may not be adequately equipped to cope with torrential rains of this magnitude. It is estimated that at least 2.7 million people in Spain reside in areas susceptible to flooding, highlighting the importance of preventative measures.
Google’s Flood Hub is presented as an informative and experimental tool, and should not be considered a replacement for official notices issued by AEMET (the Spanish State Meteorological Agency) or other relevant authorities. The platform provides forecasts up to seven days ahead and alerts within 24 hours, offering a valuable resource for citizens to stay informed about potential flood risks in their area.