Mijas advances riverbed cleaning to prevent possible flooding

Mijas town hall has already started to carry out the tasks related to cleaning riverbeds in order to prevent possible floods over the next rainy season and ensure safety in rural and urban areas. Councillor Eloy Belmonte said that the work is being done much earlier this year, as they are aiming to have most of the tasks completed by the beginning of the spring. "We are working with foresight so that the streams are ready before the first heavy rains," he said.

The campaign began in the La Alquería area, where heavy machinery was used to clean the riverbed and unclog drainage pipes that had been blocked for several seasons. In addition, materials from the river were being used to create breakwaters. "This action is an example of how we work: we not only clean up, but also prevent structural problems before they appear," Belmonte said.

Currently, the work is focused on urban areas, where the use of machinery is permitted at this time of year. Belmonte explained that brushes in rural areas cannot be cleared in summer due to the risk of fires, "but it is possible to work with a shovel, pulling up vegetation from the roots", which prolongs the time until the need for such tasks returns.

The councillor said that this week work is carried out on the Arroyo María Barranco, which runs from Avenida de Mijas to El Albañil. The following tasks concern Arroyo Real and Arroyo Carambuco, especially in the area near Rincón del Hinojal. As regulations permit, the work will be extended to the main rural watercourses.