Almonte, Spain – On October 29, 2025, the DANA depression unleashed historic rainfall across Huelva province, with Almonte recording 142 mm in 24 hours—the highest October total in Spain. Streets transformed into silt-laden canals by midday, overwhelming the village’s drainage system and halting traffic on the A-484 highway.
Whitewashed streets were submerged under 40–60 cm of brackish water mixed with agricultural runoff, eroding cobblestones and flooding basements. The Rocina Visitor Center in Doñana National Park was evacuated as swelling wetlands threatened bird habitats. Power outages affected 5,000 residents, and a minor bridge collapse left outlying farms isolated.
Emergency services faced intense demand. Huelva’s 112 service fielded over 400 calls, including 30 rescues by dinghy. One elderly resident was hospitalized for hypothermia after a garage flood. INFOCA crews, usually tasked with firefighting, pumped water from more than 50 locations, while volunteers highlighted shortages of equipment during additional 70+ mm bursts after dawn. Livestock losses totaled around 100 head.
Warnings had escalated to red by 9 AM, but rural areas remained vulnerable, echoing concerns from the 2019 floods. By October 30, water levels had receded by roughly 70%, allowing authorities to begin damage assessments, estimated at over €20 million, and monitor wetlands for contamination. Meteorologists tied the event to warmer Mediterranean sea temperatures, reflecting the increasingly volatile Andalusian weather patterns of 2025.
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