Laurence Dollimore
BEACHES in ‘upmarket’ Marbella have lost 20% of their sand during the latest storms – which have also dumped an invasive algae on the resort’s shores.
The damage was confirmed this week by Diego Lopez, the city’s Councillor for Environment, Beaches and Ports.
He said in a statement: “Fontanilla beach is the hardest hit… erosion there has caused the disappearance of some 10,000 cubic metres of sand.
“We at the City Council are analysing the situation and studying urgent measures for the recovery of our coast.”
He called on government departments ‘to carry out immediate actions to guarantee the regeneration of the beaches and the repair of the affected facilities.’
Meanwhile, in the British expat haven of Nueva Andalucia, Lopez said the beach ‘has suffered a significant loss of sand to which is added the arrival of invasive algae that the storm itself has deposited.’
Fontanilla beach, among the most popular for tourists, now has a ‘significant’ drop that makes accessing the water difficult, said Lopez.
Venus beach has also experienced a ‘significant reduction in its surface area’, as has El Cable beach.
In the hugely popular Cabopino, Lopez said: “The situation is especially worrying due to the significant reduction in the width of the beach.”
The councillor also said walkways have been damaged, ‘affecting the preparation of facilities for the high season.’
It comes state weather agency Aemet has placed almost the entire southern region of Andalucia on either a yellow or orange alert today (Saturday).
Large swathes of central and northern Spain – plus the western coast of Mallorca – are also under advisory for rain and severe winds which could exceed 90km/hr in some areas.
While much of Valencia and the entire Costa Blanca have avoided being placed on a warning, the regions will still see some showers today, particularly during the morning and late afternoon.
On a yellow warning in the south are the Costa del Sol, the whole of Sevilla province, Cordoba province, western Granada province and parts of Cadiz and Huelva, with up to 80mm of rain expected to fall over a 12-hour period.
Meanwhile, Ronda, the western coast of Cadiz and coastal Huelva are all on a more serious orange alert, with up to 30mm of rain set to fall within an hour.
The weather alerts begin at different times in each province or affected zone, but all are in place until 11.59pm.
