The Junta de Andalucía has coordinated with the Malaga City Council the eviction of the Campanillas neighborhood, right in the area of the river that bears the same name. The Campanillas River could overflow, despite the fact that the neighborhood's sewers are open to facilitate the evacuation of water. The Board already evacuated the homes on the banks of the Guadalhorce during the early hours of the morning, from where some 3,000 people were evacuated due to the risk of flooding due to the torrential rains expected in the area. AEMET has had the red notice in force since ten in the morning. Extreme caution is recommended.
During the morning there were floods in the capital, such as Andalucía Avenue itself that runs through the city, near El Corte Inglés, which has been quickly restored. Calle Victoria or Carretería also come down loaded with water, as can be seen in videos. Likewise, the Guadalmedina River, usually dry, flows strongly and quite loaded with water through the capital. Another video shows the situation at the Equestrian Club, northeast of the capital, where a flood covers the stables in the lowest areas, without it being possible to know if the horses have been evacuated in time.
At three in the afternoon, 114 liters per square meter had been collected in the last 12 hours at the meteorological station of the El Atabal treatment plant and 63.7 at the Paseo de la Farola station, both in the capital. In the province, in Coín (Guadalhorce valley) 116 liters have been reached. 118.5 have been collected in Alfarnatejo (Axarquía).
“Today Malaga is paralyzed. I know that it is a problem for citizens not to take their children to class, but we act based on the AEMET rainfall information with a fundamental objective, which is to prevent rather than cure,” explained the president of the Andalusian Government, Juan Manuel Moreno, highlighting the principle of prudence: “We have already seen it in Valencia. Faced with the prospect of intense rains in a Mediterranean city with basins and mountains, as Malaga also has, we try to minimize the impact of DANA. “In terms of human lives, which is the most important thing, and material losses.”
A total of 81 Andalusian municipalities have notified 112 of the activation of their Territorial Local Emergency Plan (Ptel) due to the forecast of heavy rains, 48 of them in the province of Granada, 29 in Malaga and four in Almería, as reported by the Emergency Coordination Center (Cecem 112 Andalucía).
The Junta de Andalucía has suspended classes for this Wednesday in all educational centers in Antequera, Axarquía, Málaga capital, Costa del Sol, Ronda and Guadalhorce (in the province of Málaga) and Almuñécar, Motril and Albuñol (in Granada), since Kindergarten to University. 1,200 educational centers remain closed and 350,000 students have not gone to class between Malaga and Granada. The announcement comes after activating the emergency phase of the Flood Risk Plan. This was reported shortly after 9:30 p.m.
The Ministry of Transport has reported the suspension of the Málaga-Madrid high-speed line, since the accumulation of water has affected the line's safety systems, which is why it is cut between Antequera-Málaga until it is recovered. Along with this, since 10:45 in the morning the Media Distancia service between Málaga -Antequera-Seville has been suspended due to the adverse weather conditions in the province of Málaga. To this we must add that the María Zambrano train station in Malaga capital has been evacuated in the lobby area and platforms, as specified by the Emergency 112 Andalucía system with information from Adif.
First incidents: waterspout in Marbella
DANA has already left the first heavy rains in points such as Los Romanes, next to the La Viñuela reservoir (Axarquía), Coín (more than 40 liters per square meter accumulated in the last hours) or Cártama. Several users have recorded a tornado in Marbella (Málaga), according to the videos that are going viral on social networks. Videos are also being spread on social networks showing flooded areas in Alhaurín el Grande or Marbella.
During the early hours of the morning, around 3,000 people living in around 1,000 homes on the banks of the Guadalhorce River in the municipalities of Álora, Cártama, Alhaurín de la Torre, Pizarra and Málaga capital were evicted. These are the areas that just two weeks ago suffered the floods of the previous DANA. The affected municipalities have set up shelter points.
The A-355 highway in Coín (from km 10 to 14 in both directions), the A-7054 (from km 4 to 7 in both directions) and the A-7286 in Campillos (km 9.5 in both directions) are closed to traffic due to rain. senses).
Reporting has also been suspended in the majority of courts and tribunals in Malaga. The President of the Superior Court of Justice of Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla has agreed to the suspension in the judicial bodies of Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Coín, Málaga, Vélez-Málaga and Torrox (Málaga), as well as in the courts of Almuñécar and Motril (Granada).
After noon the storm reached the capital. The central area, around El Corte Inglés, has become an immense pond. The health centers attached to the Málaga-Guadalhorce Health District have closed their doors due to the worsening of the storm situation that affects the province of Malaga this Wednesday, leaving the emergency points open, which begin at 3:00 p.m.
In addition, the Clinical Hospital, in Teatinos, is suffering from leaks and leaks that have flooded the hallways and rooms. For this reason, it has activated the Flood Emergency Plan, so the center has reported that it will only be operational for urgent and emergency care. Initially, the most affected areas have been the Clinical Analysis Laboratory and some areas of the parking lot.
The forecast of heavy rain has also forced the Malaga Metro service to be partially suspended. From 10:00 a partial service is being provided on line 1 between the Barbarela and Andalucía Tech stations, with the service on line 2 being temporarily suspended if the red alert continues.
Situation in Granada
In Granada, the orange alert has led to the cancellation of classes and activities in day centers in the capital, the metropolitan area and the coast. The decision was adopted by the Andalusian Government, activating level 1 of emergencies in response to reports warning of the possible consequences of the expected torrential rains.
The University of Granada had already decided this Tuesday afternoon to stop its activity for the same reason, as well as official organizations such as the Tax Agency Delegation in the capital or the City Council itself have chosen to ask their workers not to go to their offices. jobs as a precaution and to telework if they have the possibility. Farm workers have also been asked to stop work as a precaution.
During the morning AEMET and the Junta de Andalucía also updated the warning to yellow for Almería, Cádiz and Jaén, and several regions of Córdoba and Seville, so far without alert.
Emergency phase
The Junta de Andalucía maintains the emergency phase, operational situation 1, of the Emergency Plan for the Risk of Floods in Andalusia (PERI) active. This phase refers to a phenomenon that implies or could indicate damage – or when due to opportunity the Plan Management so considers – and for which the necessary measures are put into practice for the relief and protection of people. or goods.
At 10:30 p.m. this Tuesday, Civil Protection sent a mass message to mobile phones in the areas affected by the red notice Axarquía, Sol and Guadalhorce with a call to exercise extreme caution and follow the self-protection advice and call 112 in the event of any emergency. . The alert, also known as Es-Alert or reverse 112, is part of the National Alert Network (RAN) and was sent in English and Spanish. These messages are sent to safeguard the safety of the population and minimize risks and always require the active collaboration of citizens.
Previously, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) had activated the red warning for rain in the Malaga regions of Sol and Guadalhorce and Axarquía (from 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday until midnight); It is orange in Antequera (from 4:00 a.m. and also until midnight). In the province of Granada, there is also an orange warning for rainfall in the Genil Basin and the Granada coast from 04:00 in the morning and throughout the day on Wednesday, where intense rains of up to 40 liters per square meter are expected in a hour.
In addition, yellow warnings are active for the same phenomenon in Ronda (from 3:00 a.m. until the end of the day on Wednesday), the Sierra Sur in Seville, the Subbética in Cordoba (in both cases from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and Nevada. , Alpujarras (from 06:00 a.m. to midnight).
112 Recommendations
Given the rain warnings, 112 recommends extreme caution and adopting some self-protection guidelines that help prevent risks and guarantee everyone's safety. It is preferable to avoid traveling by road. If it is essential to travel, it is important to find out, before leaving, the state of the roads you are going to travel on and once on the way, follow the instructions on information panels and authority agents, as well as stay informed through of the radio of the recommendations of the competent authorities and services.
In the rain, extreme caution should be taken when driving, reduce speed and increase the safety distance. You should never cross through a flooded area or with pools of water. If you have crossed a flooded area for any reason, then you must test the brakes by lightly pulsing them to check that they work. If we are also surprised by a strong flood of water inside the vehicle, we must prepare to abandon it immediately when the water exceeds the wheel axle. You should also not camp or park near river beds even if they are dry to avoid being surprised by a sudden rise in water.
In the countryside and during storms, trees and isolated or solitary stones attract lightning, so they should be avoided, as should metal objects. In coastal areas and during stormy weather, you should avoid walking along promenades, breakwater areas and viewpoints. The waves can suddenly drag us into the sea.