This is the moment a man broke down in tears while being evacuated from his home in Malaga.
The elderly resident was seen being escorted by the Guardia Civil to safety in Cortes de la Frontera on Wednesday morning.
In footage shared by police, he can be seen gesturing appreciation to the officers before putting his face in his hands and shaking his head.
One of the agents is then seen consoling him and putting his arm around him.
Storm Leonardo has pushed the Guadiaro River above four metres and rising as it passes through both Jimera de Libar and Cortes de la Frontera.
The extreme weather has already triggered road closures, evacuations and flooding alerts.
One of the most serious incidents so far is a landslide between the two towns, which has forced the complete closure of the MA-8401 on the Jimera–Benaojan stretch, according to the DGT traffic authority.
Other nearby roads close to the river have also been affected, with water beginning to enter streets in low-lying areas.
Both municipalities remain on high alert as the storm continues. Short, localised outages to mobile coverage, internet and electricity were reported during the morning.
Jimera de Libar’s mayor, Francisco Javier Lobo, described ‘brutal wind’ and the rapid rise of the river, warning early on that water was already reaching streets near a residential area.
In Cortes de la Frontera, councillor Elena Puente said around 20 people have been evacuated from Cañada Real Tesoro – Estacion de Cortes due to the river’s rise.
‘Since 5.30am the river has been rising and putting us increasingly on alert,’ she said.
‘At around 8am there was a significant surge and we used loudspeakers, with the Guardia Civil and Local Police, to warn residents that the river was going to overflow.
‘Those on upper floors were asked to stay there, while others were directed to the local social centre.’
Puente added that electricity problems occurred between 9.30am and 9.45am before service was restored.
Emergency teams remain on site, including members of the local council, firefighters, municipal workers, the Guardia Civil, rural wardens and environmental officers.
State weather agency Aemet forecasts up to 200mm per square metre in 24 hours in the area.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
