14.01.09 - 12:29 -
Only older people in La Axarquía can remember seeing such scenes because that last time it snowed there was half a century ago. Yesterday almost all of the Tejeda and Almijara sierras were covered in white. The first snowflakes started to fall around 6 p.m. on Saturday and an hour later the snow ploughs and emergency services had to start work to try to keep communications working. After a long night affected roads were able to reopen to traffic in the morning.
The electricity supply was also affected by the adverse weather and more than 1,000 homes in six municipalities in the area were cut off. "It was so cold and as there was no electricity I went to bed at half past ten," said Rocío Ruiz who lives in Canillas de Aceituno. "Luckily I've got a battery television so I could watch the football," said Antonio García.
In Alcaucín people queued to get to see the snow. "More than 6,000 cars have come up to see the snow. It's half a metre deep in the town centre," explained José Luis Guerrero, Alcaucín councillor. "We've had to cut off the access to El Alcázar park because sheets of ice have built up," he continued.
"This is beautiful. We've come so that my 10 year old son can see snow for the first time. It's like the Sierra Nevada," said Pepi Acuña from Vélez-Málaga.
