6 Nov, 2024 @ 14:10
3 mins read

Popular Costa del Sol resort town in Spain could suffer ‘deadly catastrophic flooding as seen in Valencia’ after continually building houses in flood zones, report warns

FUENGIROLA could be hit with a devastating Valencia-like disaster due to continued overdevelopment in flood zones, it has been warned.

The Costa del Sol town of 85,000 and parts of Mijas have been singled out after catastrophic flooding hit inland regions of Malaga and Spain’s eastern region last week, killing hundreds.

Neighbourhoods such as Las Lagunas and Camino Viejo de Coín would be vulnerable to the kind of flooding that drowned people in their cars should the Fuengirola river overflow, according to a report by Mijas Ecologists in Action.

The area around the river, which runs through the east of the town, has been heavily built upon since the 1980s – often in direct violation of urban planning regulations and risk studies.

READ MORE: Valencia local water authority denies it ‘deleted data to hide it knew a disaster was imminent’: Torrent in Spain’s worst natural disaster for a century was ‘so powerful it swept sensor away’ 

The graphic illustrates the region at risk of flooding in Fuengirola, where continual developments are taking place. Picture: Ecologistas en Accion

And there are countless new projects in the works for the vulnerable region, which have been branded a ‘very serious mistake.’

These include a nursing home, a 50,000 sqm hospital and a huge showpiece park called el Gran Parque de la Costa del Sol.

“The catastrophe in the Valencian Community, where more than 500mm of rain fell in some parts of Alicante, should give pause for reflection for the Andalucian town halls and the interested parties that insist on building in vulnerable territory,” the environmental group said in a statement.

READ MORE: After the deluge in Spain: Malaga reservoir levels recover 62% of the summer’s losses in just seven days – with more rain forecast

castillo fuengirola
The Playa El Castillo in Fuengirola is cut in half by the Fuengirola river

“Despite the multiple declarations of a climate emergency, administrators continue to act as if there were no real emergency and it can be business as usual.”

“It means continuing to expose more and more people to the same possible fate as we have seen in Valencia, and more jobs and economic activities to a catastrophic event given the enormous vulnerability of the Fuengirola River.”

Residential housing has popped up in the region since the 1990s, both legal and illegal.

READ MORE: Man who confronted the King of Spain over flood disaster mismanagement defends his ‘frustration’ during ‘intense morning’

Neighbourhoods such as those located on Avenida Andalucía, Camino Viejo de Coín, Calle Alfarnate, Algatocín are especially vulnerable, as are homes built illegally, including La Alberquilla. 

And the construction does not cease, according to the ecologists.

“Currently, there are signs of land sales, earthworks, foundations are being dug, completion of developments, etc.”

The region has been hit by disastrous floodings before, with up to 14 people killed in Fuengirola in 1988.

Construction work for new housing is already underway in Fuengirola’s flood zone. Picture: Ecologistas en Accion

A mother and three children only managed to miraculously survive the disaster by clinging to a tree.

Another flood struck the region just a year later in 1989, and was followed by further flooding in 2007, 2015, in 2016 and 2020.

While extreme weather events are less frequent in Malaga than Valencia, they may begin to even out as the Alboran Sea warms up.

“There is no doubt that [extreme floods] are going to happen,” Enrique Salvo, professor and director of the climate change group at the University of Malaga, told SUR.

READ MORE: Mud slingers who attacked Queen Letizia in Valencia ‘were part of fringe group’, claims Spain’s Interior Minister

“The sea is getting warmer, and we also have a mountain range next to the coast and this means that, as in the case of Valencia, a stationary DANA can discharge in this way. 

“And with a strong process of urbanisation, with housing in flood zones and without adequate planning for the 21st century, we have already seen that climate change is a reality, as is evident again these days. 

“The saddest thing is that these new urban developments are designed for the most deprived families and they are the most affected”.

The Fuengirola report comes after researchers revealed that a third of homes flooded during the storm in Valencia were built on land at risk of flooding during the housing bubble in the early 2000s.

Overall, an area of some 15,633 hectares was flooded, affecting over 190,000 people in 17,497 residential buildings.

Almost a third of the residences affected were built in flood risk areas during the housing bubble, according to research carried out by DATADISTA. 

The study claims that developers would have known the land was liable to flooding thanks to the 2003 Land Action Plan to Prevent Flooding in the Valencian Community (Patricova). 

Walter Finch

Walter Finch, who comes from a background in video and photography, is keen on reporting on and investigating organised crime, corruption and abuse of power. He is fascinated by the nexus between politics, business and law-breaking, as well as other wider trends that affect society.
Born in London but having lived in six countries, he is well-travelled and worldly. He studied Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and earned his diploma in journalism from London's renowned News Associates during the Covid era.
He got his first break in the business working on the Foreign News desk of the Daily Mail's online arm, where he also helped out on the video desk.
He then decided to escape the confines of London and returned to Spain in 2022, having previously lived in Barcelona for many years.
He took up up a reporter role with the Olive Press Newspaper and today he is based in La Linea de la Concepcion at the heart of a global chokepoint and crucial maritime hub, where he edits the Olive Press Gibraltar edition.
He is also the deputy news editor across all editions of the newspaper.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Missing person total revealed with family members supplying DNA to identify Valencia flood disaster victims
Previous Story

Missing person total revealed as worried family members supply DNA to identify Valencia flood disaster victims

Spain's opposition demands a 'state of emergency' be declared over the devastating Valencia floods
Next Story

Spaniens Opposition fordert wegen der verheerenden Überschwemmungen in Valencia die Ausrufung des nationalen Notstands

Latest from Environment

Go toTop

More From The Olive Press

Major update in case of British father and son who vanished from Spain’s Costa del Sol: Police make two arrests

BRITISH Police investigating the disappearance of father and son Daniel
Wind Farm In Avila.

Billion euro boost for green energy in Spain from European Investment Bank

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to lend Spanish