Aemet deactivates amber alert for heavy rain after almost 30mm registered in parts of Malaga province
The weather front swept from the west to the east, with thunderstorms and occasional downpours, although fewer than expected
The forecast for downpours of heavy rain in Malaga province on Wednesday ended earlier than expected. Spain's state meteorological agency (Aemet) deactivated the amber alert shortly before 9pm, after it had gradually been brought forward from midnight to 10pm. The 30mm of rain predicted by Aemet were not reached in Malaga, although such amounts were recorded in neighbouring Cadiz province.
In Malaga, however, the weather front moved from the west to the east very quickly, leaving behind bands of precipitation, with some heavy downpours in the west of the province, especially in the Serranía de Ronda and coastal areas closer to Cadiz.
The wettest spot was Alpandeire, with more than 28mm, some 20mm of them falling in under an hour. There were also notable accumulations in Ronda (between 16 and 12mm in different parts of the municipality); as well as in Marbella (15mm). Cortes de la Frontera recorded almost 17mm, of which 13mm were discharged in under an hour, between 5pm and 6pm. The epicentre of the front an hour later was the Genal river, in Jubrique, with 10mm.
On the western Costa del Sol (Estepona, San Pedro and Marbella), there were also showers, although of lesser intensity. Rain continued throughout the night, including in Malaga city.
Prevention
Faced with an amber weather alert, many institutions activated safety and prevention measures on Wednesday. The town halls in Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Alhaurín de la Torre ordered the closure of parks, as well as the suspension of cultural and sports activities and events. The security forces and the fire brigade were prepared to act if necessary.
Torremolinos town hall closed the La Batería park, the Molino de Inca botanical garden and the Casa de los Navajas. Nursing homes, municipal libraries and study rooms were also closed. The cultural event 'Torremolinos y Gigantes' with Irene Villa at the Pablo Ruiz Picasso centre was postponed until 26 November.
In addition, the council activated the Torremolinos emergency plan at 6pm and safety and security services were on standby as a precautionary measure.
Alhaurín de la Torre in the Guadalhorce valley activated similar measures. The town hall activated the municipal emergency plan much earlier than Torremolinos - at 11.40am. Authorities reminded residents to pay attention only to official communication channels and follow updates. The town hall asked them not to spread false information that could cause unnecessary panic, confusion and uncertainty.
Sports clubs such as Málaga CF postponed the football training sessions for La Academia and Fundación MCF.
