Sections
Highlight
SUR
MALAGA
Friday, 18 March 2022, 10:47
. It seems that the prayers of local people were answered this week when the heavens opened and Malaga province received its first serious rainfall for well over a year at the hands of Storm Celia. A red weather warning was in place for a time.
More than 150mm of rain fell from Sunday to Wednesday in some inland areas of the province - where it was most needed - ironically, at the same time as extended water restrictions for non-human use were being planned.
Storm Celia has had the effect of filling the area's reservoirs - which have severely depleted amounts of water - with between one and two months' worth of normal usage, with more water expected to drain in from surrounding hillsides and streams in coming days.
In technical terms, by Thursday morning this week, the volume of water stored across the province was 215 Hm3, 24 more than before Storm Celia, although a long way from the 366 Hm3 at the same time last year.
The local reservoir most in need of water was - and still is - La Viñuela, which supplies the Axarquía and eastern Costa del Sol.
Despite the good news, by late this week it was still only 17 per cent full, with no guarantee of supplying the normal water usage of that area for more than six months. It was still at half the level it was this time last year.
Other reservoirs in the province which supply the Costa were faring better. La Concepción, behind Marbella, which is much smaller than La Viñuela, also received an important top-up but is still only at half its capacity.
The biggest beneficiaries were the reservoirs supplying Malaga city and the Guadalhorce Valley, known as the Guadalhorce-Guadalteba system. Rainfall in their area, close to Ardales, was particularly heavy in the early part of the week.
Forecasters said there was currently no rain as heavy as this week's predicted for Malaga province. However, the weather is expected to remain unsettled for the coming week.
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Reporta un error en esta noticia
Necesitas ser suscriptor para poder votar.