The province of Málaga is going through complicated times due to the DANA (cold drop), which caused heavy rains and overflows, forcing the evacuation of more than 3,000 people.
Throughout the day on Wednesday, the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) maintained the‘red alert in the province of Málaga and in the south of Tarragona, warning of the extreme risk that these rains represent for the population. In Málaga, where the situation is particularly serious, the maximum alert level should be maintained until midnight.
More than 133 liters per square meter
The heavy rainfall in Málaga reached 133 liters per square meter Wednesday early afternoon, including more than 80 liters fell in just one houraccording to records from the AEMET meteorological center in Málaga, in the El Cónsul district, which was almost flooded due to the intensity of the precipitation.
Torrential rains in Málaga have affected residents and basic services in the city. Some areas of the Hospital Clínico were completely flooded and health workers had to scramble to clear the water so they could continue essential operations.
The storm also interrupted high-speed train service (AVE) between Malaga and Madridwho was arrested early in the afternoon. Shortly after, Adif ordered the evacuation of Málaga's Maria Zambrano station, while the city council suspended the municipal bus service to reduce risks.
The municipality has also asked the public to cooperate in waste management due to the unusual conditions of the day. In a statement, she asked residents to postpone placing waste in containers until the rainfall has stopped, due to the impossibility of collecting it.
Faced with this emergency, some local organizations have launched desperate appeals for emergency assistance. THE equestrian club Málagalocated in an area that suffered severe flooding, appealed for help on social media to save the horses stuck in its facilities.
Significant floods
The Axarquia region is another of the most affected areas, particularly the city of Benamargosawhere the river of the same name overflowed, flooding the streets and reaching historic levels in just a few hours.
Local authorities have advised residents to stay indoors and move to higher floors if they live in areas at risk of flooding. According to the Automatic Hydrological Information System, the river reached a flow of 200 cubic meters per second and a height of three meters, very close to its historical maximum level.
The situation is just as worrying in other municipalities in the region. In Cártama, the authorities and residents are experiencing hours of uncertainty. Although the Guadalhorce River does not yet present an imminent risk of overflowingthe forecasts are not encouraging. The accumulation of precipitation in the upper part of the valley and the recent fall of more than 50 liters per square meter in the neighboring town of Coín increase the likelihood of flooding over the next few hours.
A tornado in the middle of the storm
In addition to the rains, other weather phenomena have contributed to Málaga's critical situation. In Cala de Mijas, a tornado destroyed part of a gas station, including its patio and car wash area, and damaged the roofs of neighboring houses.
Local firefighters describe the moment as distressing for staff and customers who were at the gas station at the time. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the situation showed the severity of the stormwhich also caused at least three waterspouts on the western Costa del Sol.
Temporary shelters for evicted people
In response to the increase in evacuations in Málaga, the authorities have developed the sports pavilion of Arroyo de la Miel, in Benalmadena, as a temporary shelter for people evicted from several housing estates which were evacuated as a precaution.
Emergency and civil protection teams are in constant communication with residents to ask them to leave their homes to avoid any tragedy in the event of further flooding.
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