Lorraine Williamson
Search teams in Málaga province have recovered the body of a woman swept away during this week’s severe flooding in the Axarquía region, bringing a tragic end to a multi-day operation linked to the storms battering southern Spain.
Emergency services located the victim downstream from where she was last seen near the river in the Sayalonga area. Specialist Guardia Civil units, firefighters, and local volunteers had been searching the area since she disappeared during the height of the heavy rain.
Search operation focused on riverbanks
Crews spent several days combing riverbanks, bridges, and surrounding terrain as water levels gradually fell. The body was eventually found some distance from the point where the woman entered the water.
Local authorities confirmed the recovery and expressed condolences to the family. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation, although officials have stressed the dangers posed by fast-moving floodwater.
Storms leave rivers swollen across Andalucía
The discovery comes as parts of southern Spain continue to deal with the aftermath of intense rainfall. Recent storms have left ground saturated and rivers running higher than normal, particularly in inland areas of Málaga province.
In Mediterranean regions such as the Axarquía, river levels can rise quickly after heavy rain upstream. Even normally dry channels can become dangerous within minutes when water surges through valleys and ravines.
Safety warnings remain in place
Emergency services are again urging residents and visitors to avoid riverbeds, floodwater crossings, and coastal areas during weather alerts. What may appear to be shallow water can conceal strong currents and unstable ground.
With further unsettled weather forecast, authorities say caution remains essential across affected regions of Andalucía as recovery work continues.
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