A month on from the most destructive Dana to hit the Guadalhorce valley...

A whole month has passed since the heavy storms caused by the Dana weather event on Tuesday 29 October transformed the Guadalhorce valley into an emergency scenario.

The rainfall that lashed violently throughout the area left hundreds of homes flooded, roads washed away and people cut off from all communication with the outside world, especially in rural areas.

A month after one of the most destructive storm fronts in living memory, these inland parts of the province are witnessing villages and small towns such as Almogía, Álora, Valle de Abdalajís, Cártama and Pizarra still trying to return to some kind of normality and facing a series of titanic tasks.

"What is clear is that there is still a lot of work to be done," explained Virginia Romero, Valle de Abdalajís' mayor, to SUR.

The municipality of Álora was the main focus of the Dana disaster in Malaga. The images of helicopters flying over the area of La Isla trying to rescue several people are still in the minds of many people. The town's mayor, Francisco Martínez, clearly remembers the extent of the disaster: "The force of the water swept everything away. The roads are destroyed, the pumping systems were buried. Although we have managed to re-establish the water supply temporarily, the damage is enormous."

Deep sinkholes and impassable roads in some rural areas of the locality are still a reality in Álora. Although there are no reports of people still cut off, the reality is that there are still second homes with minimal accessibility. Martínez, visibly frustrated, stressed: "It is impossible for us to meet these costs without outside help. Official visits from outside are fine, but we need real solutions." He also expressed his concern about the aid that is still not forthcoming while the bills pile up: "It's true that we still have machinery on loan from the Junta, but we need more support."

In the case of Almogía, the situation has been particularly hard, as the municipality has been affected by not one, but two Dana events almost consecutively. "I think we are the only town in Malaga that has been seriously affected by both Danas. It has generated many problems and serious consequences of a devastating nature", explained the town's mayor, Antonia García. She said that they had still not managed to deal with all the damage done by the first storm when the second one struck: "It has been a very hard time, but it seems that everything is calming down."

Over half the town's residents live outside the main urban area in hamlets such as Los Moras, which are scattered all over the land and were virtually cut off for days. This situation has brought the biggest challenge. Although access has now been mostly restored, water supply problems persist.

"The storm ripped out the entire water structure. Now we are supplying every other day. Fortunately, the families have tanks, and we are coping quite well," added García in a tone mixed with weariness and determination. The problem with these rural areas being so isolated is the iron rod that beats the back of this municipality, which is working against the clock to try to get things back to normal as soon as possible.

Valle de Abdalajís was the municipality where most rainwater fell during this intense day of rainfall, leaving a devastating impact on rural roads and all the basic infrastructure. Mayor Virginia Romero highlighted the efforts of the local teams to guarantee minimum access to the affected houses: "We have worked tirelessly to make the roads passable, but the repairs are provisional. We don't have the resources to go any further."

Such is the reality facing Romero and many of the Guadalhorce's other mayors. "In a very short time everything was smashed, but then the recovery is clearly going much more slowly and not as we would like it to be," said Romero. Meanwhile both her municipality and the rest of the valley towns and villages are waiting to find out what actions will be forthcoming from the various governing bodies. Romero also issued a stark warning that resounds for the entire area: "This could happen again. The riverbeds need maintenance because, if not, we will be faced with another tragedy like this."

The bursting of the riverbanks on the Guadalhorce left the area of Doña Ana, in the town of Cártama, flooded. Houses were surrounded by water and mud. Jorge Gallardo, mayor of the municipality, gave assurances that the initial actions have allowed a certain degree of normality to be restored, but he stressed that full recovery will be a slow process.

"We have repaired priority infrastructures, but there is still a lot to do. The laws limit us to acting only in emergencies, which delays the most complete fix", he explained. In addition, Gallardo stressed that help for local residents is a priority: "We are doing everything we can to guide them with insurance claims and subsidies, but we know that this will not be enough if those higher up in power do not act quickly."

In Pizarra, the storm transformed the Camino Villalón into a symbol of the impact of the Dana. Félix Lozano, mayor of the town, detailed the repairs carried out: "We have asphalted 500 metres of this track, which is essential for many local residents. However, this is only a small part of the work to be done." Lozano also stressed the importance of not forgetting the damage to the countryside: "The impact on the agricultural sector is enormous, and the aid for farmers has not yet arrived. We are doing everything we can, but we need more resources."

In the meantime, the residents of Guadalhorce are still trying to put their lives back together. Many have returned to their homes, but uncertainty persists. Affected families have registered their damage, hoping that promises of aid from the Junta de Andalucía and central government will soon be translated into concrete action.

The Dana not only left visible scars on the landscapes and roads of the area, but also in the memory of its inhabitants. Now, 31 days later, the Guadalhorce valley is moving forward with effort and resilience, although it is aware that there is still much to be done to heal the wounds left by the most destructive storm in recent times.