Storms wreak havoc across central Spain by Steph Ball
Mainline train services out of Madrid remained closed for a second day on Thursday, after storms sparked widespread flooding across central parts of Spain.
Trains from the capital to the Valencia and Murcia regions had to be closed down on Tuesday evening when a night of severe thunderstorms flooded the tracks. More than 5000 passengers were left stranded, with some having to resort to bedding down for the night in Madrid’s central stations.
The rain was said to have been most intense across Madrid, flooding streets and tunnels and forcing the evacuation of hundreds. The relentless downpours also bought widespread flooding across the regions of Castilla-Leon to the north and Castilla-La Mancha to its south.
Across Castilla-La Mancha the floods have had a catastrophic effect, with more than 250, 000 acres of crops destroyed (100, 000 hectares) at a cost of over 100 million pounds. In the town of Alcazar de San Juan, more rain fell in a few hours than had fallen all year, with flood waters rising to a metre and a half. A spokesperson for the National Met Service ( INM ) said that the storm which hit the town was rare.
While further thunderstorms are forecast today across parts of Spain, back home, the UK is also expecting a change of weather for the Bank Holiday Weekend, with conditions forecast to turn much colder and wetter.
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