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Another 15 zones will be deemed high flood-risk points in Malaga province following last week's devastating floods. Six years of a lack of rain plunged the province into an extremely serious situation when the Dana weather event hit last week. Despite the reservoirs receiving a much-needed top-up, the excessive rain left some residents with nothing remaining, especially in the Guadalhorce Valley (Álora, Pizarra, Valle de Abdalajís or the Campanillas neighbourhood in Malaga city.
In the case of Valencia, the tragedy is unprecedented, and is even worse than when the Tous dam burst (1982). For this reason, it is essential to have infrastructures, to conduct careful urban planning, have reforestation plans for the mountains and carry out cleaning and conditioning work on watercourses every season. Any foresight is too little when the sky decides to unload 200mm in a few hours, as in the case of this latest downpour in Malaga. In Valencia, it was worse, with the rainfall close to 600mm - a whole year's worth of rainfall in a single day.
The regional river basins authority is updating its flood risk map, with another 15 areas being added in Malaga province. This is the result of the third study of the preliminary flood risk assessment of the Hydrographic Demarcation of the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins. The document, based on a resolution of the Junta, is open to feedback until 31 December.
The update is based on climate data, measurements, forecasts, storm events, hydrogeology and a host of scientific issues analysed.
The new zones are: in the western Costa Del Sol, the rivers El Estanquillo, La Peñuela, Perales, Janacino, Monterroso, Guadalpín, Segundo and Calera. In the area of the Guadiaro in Benaoján and Guadalcobacín river; the Grande, from the junction with the Guadiaro river to Rosalejo. In the Guadalhorce, the Bajo (lower) river , up to where it meets the Nacimiento stream, the stream of El Pinar and the river Guadalhorce from Villanueva del Trabuco to La Higuerilla. In the Axarquia, La Cueva river and the Arroyo de las Morenas are added as risk zones in the area around Benamargosa.
The latest update complies with the European Flood Directive and serves to detect and review Areas of Potential Significant Flood Risk (ARPSI).
The study has considered possible flooding due to the sea: from the rise in sea level on the coast and its impact inland. "In this case, flooding caused by a possible tsunami or tidal wave is not considered to be applicable within the framework of this directive, due to the low probability of it happening," according to the document.
The report also includes the possibility of flooding due to groundwater upwelling, where warmer surface water is pushed away from an area allowing colder deep water to rise up and replace it. "This occurs due to a rise in the water close to the surface, coinciding with flat areas with difficult drainage [...]".
Episodes of heavy downpours and floods are already well known, with the drainage capacity of watercourses and infrastructures crucial.
The study looks at recent events that have occurred in Malaga province since 2018. That year, there were major floods in March in the Serranía de Ronda and the Campo de Gibraltar areas which led to the overflowing of the Guadiaro and Hozgarganta rivers. "In Benaoján, the Cueva del Gato and a sports complex, was closed with emergency workers protecting houses in the neighbourhood of La Estación. Several factories were partially surrounded by water with several road closures on the road to Ronda. In Estación de Jimera de Líbar, several houses are evacuated when the Guadiaro overflowed, according to the report.
Weeks later, there was significant flooding on the Costa del Sol and Antequera due to the storm Hugo, which also involved a storm at sea. "There are flood warnings in Antequera, Archidona, Benaoján, Estepona, Fuengirola, Gaucín, Malaga, Marbella, Montecorto and Teba. The A-374 in Malaga, the N-331 in Antequera and the MA-6404 in Teba were also closed due to the overflowing of the ¡Venta river near the football field," according to the report.
The report pointed out further flooding in October 2018 in Ronda, Guadalteba, Malaga and Costa del Sol with rainfall of up to 100mm in one day in the Estepona area or almost 400mm in places such as Campillos, Ardales and Teba.
It goes on to detail at least ten episodes, including the floods in Campanillas and Campillos, which are perhaps the most severe in recent history. In the case of the Malaga neighbourhood, the report pointed out that 19 warehouses or stores; 781 vehicles; 52 businesses; 338 homes; nine offices; four infrastructures or facilities, and 20 unlisted assets were affected. In total, the value of the damage exceeded nine million euros.
The figures for flood claims and insurance in recent years are as follows: Malaga (3,389 incidents), Campillos (1,821), Marbella (1,562), Estepona (686), Mijas (611), Alhaurín El Grande (467), Ronda (425) and Alhaurín de la Torre (363).
In terms of the amounts of damages, the most significant are those of Campanillas (9.1 million euros), Campillos (7.7 million euros) and Marbella (6.4 million euros). They are followed by the rest of Malaga city (5.6 million euros). Behind come Mijas (4 million) and Alhaurín El Grande (1 million). In terms of floods caused by rising seas, Marbella has recorded 54 episodes in the last six years; Malaga, 30; Torremolinos, 24; Vélez, 21; Estepona, 17, and Rincón, 14.
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