PROVINCIA DE MÁLAGA – The long-awaited rain is descending with considerable intensity in the province of Malaga. 112 has received reports of accumulated water and flooding on roads with loose stones that have hindered traffic, and damage to roads in southern Spain.
The regional newspaper Malaga Hoy headlines that 94 litres of water have fallen in the Serrania de Ronda in the past 24 hours and 30 litres in La Viñuela in the east of the province. However, the weather institute Aemet lowered the weather alert from orange to yellow around noon on Friday.
The rain started on Thursday but was particularly intense during the night and early morning of Friday. This was especially in Malaga city and the Axarquía region. Moreover, this is an area where the drought is most severe and has been causing problems for months.
Furthermore, it was especially wet in the Serrania de Ronda. Here, 94 litres per square metre were registered in the municipality of Cortes de la Frontera, on the border between the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz.
Important rain for the Axarquía
In the Axarquía, the part of the province where the rain is most needed, 40.3 litres per square metre fell on the La Viñuela reservoir at 3.00 pm today (Friday). The water level here is at an all-time low. But even with this rain, the level has only risen from 9.17% of capacity to 9.19%. This makes these the most important rains since last winter with 29.3 litres in Torrox, 38.9 litres in Alcaucín and 60 litres in the El Trapiche water treatment plant.
The access road to El Trapiche, north of Vélez-Málaga, was blocked in the early afternoon on Friday. Flood water, stones, and mud covered the road. Other points in the area were also flooded, but the fire brigade did not have to intervene. No homes or farms were flooded either.
Malaga and Marbella
In the provincial capital, lightning struck a home in the Ciudad Jardin district. Consequently, a fire broke out. In Malaga, 41.8 litres per square metre were collected on Paseo de la Farola by 3.00 pm on Friday. Furthermore, 75.2 litres fell in La Araña on the east side of the city.
Meanwhile, in Marbella, there were reports of flooding and water accumulation in the Las Albarizas area and at the Los Barcos roundabout. Here, it was also necessary to close two underpasses below the N340 near Puerto Banus due to flooding.
The province has had to intervene on 13 roads in the province as a result of the heavy rains. This happened especially in the Axarquia and the Serrania de Ronda. Damage occurred due to the partial subsidence of verges and stones on the road. In the Serrania de Ronda, roads are currently being cleared at Jurbique and Genalguacil.
Flooding damage to roads in southern Spain
Furthermore, the MA5403 in the Valley of the Guadalhorce River near Ardales was blocked at some points. Furthermore, there wass a large amount of mud on the MA6401 at Cañete la Real.
Emergency number 112 has received about thirty reports, mainly from the area of Velez-Malaga in the Axarquía and Rincón de la Victoria, because of flooded areas, garages and cellars.
Western Costa del Sol
According to data from the Hidrosur network updated at noon on Friday, 35 litres per square metre have been collected in the past 12 hours in the Sierra de Mijas, 35.4 litres in Ojén, 25.2 litres in Marbella, 26.3 litres in Los Reales and 26.5 in the Concepción reservoir, on the west coast. Concerning the total rainfall in the last 24 hours, Jubrique, Los Reales, Pujerra, Colmenar and Alfarnatejo exceed 50 litres per square metre.
The rain will give most of the province of Málaga a break on Saturday. On Sunday, however, a new front will move across Andalucia from the west to the east. Meteorological instability will dominate the first days of next week.
