Storm Leonardo slams Spain and Portugal, leaving 1 dead and a girl missing

View of the flooding in the town of San Martin del Tesorillo on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, affected by flooding during heavy rains that hit southern Andalusia. (Francisco J. Olmo/Europa Press via AP)

MADRID — A man died from rising floodwaters in Portugal, while a girl remained missing after she was swept away by a swollen river in Spain as Storm Leonardo brought more heavy rain and winds Thursday to the Iberian Peninsula.

In Spain’s southern Andalusia region, close to 4,000 people evacuated their homes due to the ongoing storm, and dozens of roads remained closed due to flooding and landslides.

Spain’s weather agency lifted the highest alert level in southern Spain, but added that another storm system was expected over the weekend. Leonardo is the latest in a series of storms that have pummeled Spain and Portugal in recent weeks.

On Wednesday night, a man died in southern Portugal after his car was engulfed by floodwaters, local media said.

The southern Portuguese city of Alcacer do Sal, about 90 kilometres from Lisbon, was battling rising waters from the river Sado, with downtown areas flooded and water levels measuring two metres high in some places.

Heavy rains were expected to lash several regions in Portugal in the coming days. A previous storm in late January left a trail of destruction in the country and killed several people, according to Portuguese authorities.

In southern Spain’s Malaga province, authorities were still searching for a girl who fell into the Turvilla river Wednesday while trying to save her dog.