Sevilla has closed its floodgates for the second time since their creation amid fears of the surging River Guadalquivir.
The city remains on a yellow warning for strong winds today, which are expected to exceed 70km/hr, while showers continue.
As a preventive measure, Sevilla’s firefighters have closed the floodgates of the river defence wall located beside Parque de la Vega de Triana, anticipating any potential rise in the Guadalquivir.
Mayor Jose Luis Sanz explained that the move was taken ‘as a precaution and in advance’ of any flood risk linked to a possible increase in river levels.
It is only the second time the floodgates have been closed since they were built in 2011. The first activation occurred last March during another severe weather episode.
Despite the precautionary closure, the mayor stressed that there is still a significant safety margin.
On Wednesday, the Guadalquivir was flowing through Seville at 1,000 cubic metres per second, rising to 1,600 cubic metres per second on Thursday.
‘There is no real cause for concern until levels reach around 3,000 cubic metres per second,’ he said.
Municipal sources confirmed that local reservoirs are currently at 100% capacity, holding around 649.3 cubic hectometres of water.
However, stormwater tanks remain empty, according to the latest update issued by the city council at 11am.
Sevilla City Council has activated all necessary municipal resources to respond to any potential flooding.
This includes coordination across all departments, districts and municipal companies, while Local Police and Civil Protection teams remain on active monitoring duty along the riverbanks.
Authorities continue to urge residents to stay informed and follow official guidance as unstable weather conditions persist.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
