The decision comes after several minor tremors were detected, believed to be caused by extreme water pressure accumulating in the subsoil — a highly abnormal situation. Grazalema has been hit by record-breaking rainfall, with more than 700 litres per square metre falling in just two days.

According to Juanma Moreno, president of the Andalusian regional government, the situation led to an urgent geological assessment of the area. Once the risks became clear, authorities decided to evacuate the entire town as a precautionary measure.

Technicians from the Spanish Geological and Mining Institute were sent to investigate after residents reported strange noises coming from underground. Their findings confirmed that the groundwater level had risen dramatically, reaching the surface.

In limestone regions like Grazalema, this can turn the ground itself into a natural spring. Instead of flowing only through rivers and streams, the water begins to seep up through cracks, cavities, streets, walls, and even inside homes. As a result, water has been bubbling up from floors, walls, and electrical outlets, flooding parts of the village from below.

“The water is coming out everywhere — through the ground, the walls, everything,” one resident said.

With the soil completely saturated and unable to absorb any more rain, the flooding is expected to worsen. And with more heavy rainfall still forecast, officials warn that the situation could remain dangerous in the coming days, as underground water levels continue to rise.