Thousands evacuated in Costa del Sol as storm red alert is issued
Published: 08:07 GMT, 13 November 2024
Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the Costa del Sol over new flooding fears after a weather alert for the area went from yellow to red and locals and holidaymakers were warned of an 'extreme risk.'
Spain's Civil Protection Agency sent a mass alert to mobile phones in Malaga province just after 10pm last night warning in Spanish and English: 'Red warning activated. Extreme risk of rainfall. Be very cautious, avoid travel.'
Malagans are so fearful of a repeat of the damage that the Valencia floods wrought late last month, that many were seen tying their cars up to lampposts, and wrapping them in plastic to limit water exposure.
In a move estimated to have affected more than 300,000 pupils, it was announced all schools in the province would remain shut today.
A 'preventative' evacuation began earlier of around 3,000 people living in approximately 1,000 homes near the Guadalhorce River, one of the worst-affected areas during torrential rainfall and storms a fortnight ago which were blamed for the death of a 71-year-old British expat.
The famous Costa del Sol including the tourist resorts of Marbella and Estepona is expected to take the brunt of the extreme weather phenomenon known as a DANA, a cold drop which was the cause of the catastrophic flash floods which killed more than 200 people in and around the east coast city of Valencia alone.
Roads were a lot quieter than normal with people deciding to work from home rather than take any risks with the red weather alert in place.
As torrential rain began to fall in resorts like Marbella, Europe's largest department store group El Corte Ingles announced after normal morning opening that it was closing all its stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets in Malaga province.
Spanish savings bank Unicaja also decided to close its offices in both Malaga and Granada province and send its employees home shortly after opening as the weather worsened.
Around 15 people were evacuated from their homes on a residential estate in Arroyo de la Miel near the coastal resort of Benalmadena following the collapse of a wall.