Storm Leonardo battered Spain and Portugal with torrential rain on Thursday, triggering widespread flooding, fresh evacuation orders and multiple casualties. A man was killed in southern Portugal after his car was swept away by floodwaters, while Spanish rescue teams continued searching for a woman who was dragged into a river as she tried to save her dog, authorities said.

The storm is the latest in a series of severe winter systems to hit the Iberian Peninsula since the start of 2026, causing deaths, property damage and major disruptions. Scientists say flooding across Europe is becoming more frequent as climate change warms the atmosphere, allowing it to hold more moisture. In Spain’s Andalusia region, the mountain village of Grazalema recorded as much rainfall in just 16 hours as Madrid typically sees in an entire year.

Authorities evacuated Grazalema’s roughly 1,500 residents as water flooded homes and surged through steep streets, while two nearby reservoirs were close to overflowing. In Portugal’s Alcacer do Sal, residents waded through waist-deep water after the Sado River burst its banks, submerging shops and restaurants. With another storm expected over the weekend, officials warned that conditions could worsen across the region.

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