Firefighters warn of rapidly rising river levels across Malaga province after vehicle is washed away at ford in Estepona

Rescue crews were alerted, but the occupants of the pick-up truck managed to get out by jumping into the water - something that is not recommended by the emergency services

Chus Heredia

Malaga

Saturday, 9 March 2024, 13:09

Fortunately it was just a scare and ended well. On Friday evening, Malaga's provincial fire brigade consortium (CPB) received a call-out to a vehicle with occupants that had become trapped in the Padrón River in Estepona. The rapid rise of the river, as can be seen in the video below, shifted the vehicle around at will. The occupants managed to escape unharmed, although they rather foolishly jumped into the water, something that is not recommended by the emergency services due to the strength of the current.

Head of the CPB, Manuel Marmolejo, explained to SUR that as a result of the incident, the Diputación provincial authority asked Estepona town hall to seal all the fords to the streams and rivers in the area, which has already been done.

The provincial fire brigade reminded of the need to always take extreme care and not to be overconfident when crossing watercourses.

Otherwise this Saturday, with Aemet yellow risk warnings in place for heavy rain, strong wind and rough sea conditions in parts of Malaga province, no major incidents have been reported, apart from some fallen tree branches in the municipality of Alhaurín de la Torre, which were cleared by the CPB.

Esta madrugada recibimos el aviso de que un vehículo con ocupantes había quedado atrapado en el cauce del río Padrón en #Esteona, que corría con fuerza a causa de la lluvia. A nuestra llegada, los viajeros se encontraban fuera del vehículo y sin daños. #CPBMálaga @diputacionMLG pic.twitter.com/s2INJ4ZgCh
— CPB Málaga (@cpbmalaga) March 9, 2024

Many river levels in Malaga province are rising as a result of the accumulated rainfall over the last 24 hours. The Genal, for example, has reached a depth of 0.76 metres at Jubrique, with 21.05 cubic metres flowing per second, and still rising. The Grande, in Tolox (Las Millanas) is running at 20.24 cubic metres per second and a depth of 1.27m and is stable. On the border between Cadiz and Malaga provinces, the Guadiaro, in San Pablo Buceite, is recorded at 1.92 metres and 134.15 cubic metres flowing per second with a downward trend.

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