Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)FREAK flooding has led to the closure of hundreds of roads and railways around Andalucia.
Rivers burst their banks in many parts of the region, leading to hundreds of homes being flooded over the Christmas period.
In Ronda a number of horses were allegedly swept to their death at La Indiana, while a horse was also killed when a river flooded in Setenil.
Dozens of homes were flooded in the La Indiana and Llano de la Cruz areas of Ronda, as well as in nearby Benaojan and Jimera de Libar.
In Jimera six families had to be evacuated, as the mayor claimed it was the worst flooding the village had seen since 1947.
The Ronda area has seen up to 400 litres of rain in just over a week. In total up to 80 litres fell in Malaga in just 24 hours.
“We had had 230 litres in just four days,” said vineyard owner Jose Ramos Paul, in Ronda. “It is the heaviest rainfall we have seen here in ten years.
“It is far too much in far too short a time and is not good for the land.”
Bridges were swept away and dozens of families were cut off around the region.
The heavy rain during the Christmas period caused rail links between Sevilla, Huelva, Granada and Jaén to be shut.
The AVE fast track line between Malaga and Madrid was also shut for much of Christmas.
In total 24 major routes, including the N-IV in Cadiz were shut during Christmas Eve, due to some of the heaviest rain on record.
The weather was so bad, the emergency services in Sevilla had 500 calls alone.
The N-IV motorway between Jerez and Cádiz was closed for a kilometre due to flooding.
The access road to the Sierra Nevada was closed by strong winds and an accumulation of snow.
In Motril serious flooding led to dozens of houses being evacuated, while a car park full of cars was submerged.
There were serious power cuts in the Cádiz Bay area, although supplies are expected to be restored during the day today. Some 1,500 homes are still affected in El Puerto de Santa María, Chiclana and San Fernando.
Lightening cut the power to Torrox in Málaga for 12 hours.
Many advertising hoardings and other items were blown down, along with trees and the wall of a school in Córdoba, but despite the damage there are no reports of any injuries or fatalities in the region.
The forecast until the new year is for more rain, with temperatures dropping.
In Jimera de Libar, a benefit concert has been organised to help people affected by the flooding.
Just spent Xmas up at Capileira above Orgiva Granada. Serious problems getting up there—particularly from Motorway by the dam to Orgiva —many serious rock landslides—Capileria cut off for a while–landslide just approaching village now serious road cracks appearing. Great care needed in the whole area if driving. Returned via Lanjeron to home in Salobrena
Cheers
Mike
“80 litres fell in Malaga in 24 hours” “300 litres over less than a week”. Enough to wash a car then!
Have you considered employing an editor?
Dear David,
I am the editor and here in Spain rainfall is measured in terms of litres per square meter over a given period. The period during which the rainfall is experienced is obviously important, because if 100 litres of rain falls in say, 12 hours, that will be a very different thing than if that same volume of rain falls evenly over a month. The former would be a downpour, the latter a light to moderate rain.
We live in Gaucin and over the last 7 days have had almost 550 litres/m2 this represents almost half our annual rainfall.
As you say, serious flooding in Jimera de libar but also in Estacion Cortes.In San Pablo de Buciete some friends were washed into the river in their car, fortunately the husband managed to rescue his wife and self.
ps I notice you managed SOME restraint in your reply to Crockett.
I’ve changed my mind – please give Mr Crockett the “Numbskull of the year award” instead.
More photos of the devastating Christmas floods in the Guadiaro Valley can be found on the http://www.secretandalucia.com web site.
that is our house in jimera – we escaped just in time!
the entire first floor was destroyed and just to add to this we discovered that the insurance company rejcted our recent payment and cancelled the policy without telling us! great.
Not our best christmas…..
can anyone advise on current weather conditions in calle Siroco, riviera del sol in Malaga. Heading tomorrow with 2 small babies. Concerned
Hi Maeve
We’ve just come back from the coast and it is know where near as bad as it has been inland
Have a good trip
Most of the Guadiaro Valley is apparently set to become a ‘zona catastrófica’. And more bad weather forecast for this week.
JMcA
Do you happen to KNOW where nowhere is? It is where your grammar and dictionary books were left.
David Crockett is of course correct in saying that the rainfall figures are stated incorrectly. His last line, if not an attempt at humour, is a little sarcastic maybe?
Tad hypocritical of you there peter,considering that you should have said “where your grammar books and dictionary were left”.If you’re going to be a pedant,at least get it right
For some photos covering the floods in Alhaurín de la Torre and Cártama (both in Málaga province), have a look at the Diario Sur’s report here:
http://www.diariosur.es/multimedia/fotos/malaga/51266-temporal-malaga-afecta-alhaurin-torre-cartama-(16022010)-0.html
As for the comments here on the various blogs; it never ceases to amaze me how quick people are to criticise each other over what are simple comments or personal opinions. Pointing out someone’s grammatical flaws in public is neither necessary or kind. As with any situation in life it is actually a vain attempt to make the person commenting appear superior. At the end of the day, we’re all imperfect and each entitled to our opinion. This is a perfect place to express those opinions (as long as they are in line with the original news article) but they should always reflect the common courtesy that every human deserves.
That’s my one centimos worth! Salu2.