Rescuers search for woman swept away by river as Spain and Portugal battle Storm Leonardo

A woman in Spain who was swept up by a swollen river remained missing Friday as Storm Leonardo pummelled the Iberian Peninsula.

The Associated Press
February 6, 2026 at 9:36AM

MADRID — A woman in Spain who was swept up by a swollen river remained missing Friday as Storm Leonardo pummelled the Iberian Peninsula.

The woman, 45, was reported missing after she fell into a river in the country's southern Malaga province on Wednesday while trying to rescue her dog. Air and canine units have been deployed to find her, Spanish police and local authorities said Friday.

The ongoing storm has forced thousands of people in southern Spain to evacuate their homes and dozens of roads remained closed due to flooding and landslides.

Leonardo is the latest in a series of storms to affect Spain and Portugal in recent weeks.

Parts of Portugal were battling strong winds and heavy rain as river levels have risen. Portugal's Civil Protection authority issued an alert for the regions near the Tagus River on Thursday due to rising water levels.

A storm in Portugal in late January also left a trail of destruction in the country and killed several people, Portuguese authorities said.

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