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Storm aftermath assessment in Almeria

By Cathy Elelman • Published: 21 Sep 2019 • 20:36

EXTENSIVE: The severe weather damaged roads, bridges, public buildings, water supply networks and businesses. CREDIT: Subdelegacion del Gobierno en Almeria

CREDIT: Subdelegacion del Gobierno en Almeria

THE Government Sub-delegate in Almeria visited the Almanzora Valley to see the aftermath of the severe weather first-hand.
Accompanied by local mayors, Manuel de la Fuente last week took a look at some of the areas worst hit by the torrential rains and flooding.
The sub-delegate began in Cantoria, where at one point nearly 110 litres of rain per square metre fell in just two hours. In the La Hojilla watercourse connecting Cantoria with La Hoya the water level reached nearly two metres, breaking up the road and the bridge’s concrete chains. Access to the El Faz area inhabited by 200 people was cut off.
The torrent of water also damaged the bridge going over the Almanzora river between Cantoria town and Almanzora. Here the water got up to more than four metres and up to two metres on the road.
The local council said it was still assessing the full extent of the weather damage
The most important damage in Arboleas was the breakages to pipes supplying water to the El Rincon, La Cinta and Tahullas areas, where some 600 people live, as well as numerous landslides onto municipal roads.
Armuña also experienced flooding on country roads, plus damage to some watercourses and to municipal water supply networks.
In Purchena the office and facilities of an electrical installation company were completely inundated by mud causing losses running into the millions after the water coming from the La Cuna watercourse rose to more than two metres.
The municipality registered rainfall of nearly 160 litres of per square metre in around 24 hours, leading to flooding in the post office and a number of businesses.
In Seron the ‘cold snap’ dumped in the regions of 180 litres of rainwater per square metre on in around four hours. The sports pavillion and the municipal gymnasium were among the buildings flooded.
Some 60 kilometres of Seron’s rural roads and much of the public water supply infrastructure suffered some kind of damage: sections of pipe were broken or blocked or in some places completely swept away. In addition, the municipality’s 14-kilometre long Green Way was all but destroyed.
The local council has estimated the total damage adds up to close to €3 million.
The sub-delegate reminded mayors that assistance established under a royal decree for households suffering personal damage or damage to their habitual property or basic needs possessions was being actioned.
A Subdelegacion del Gobierno statement said the assistance also applies to local authorities to meet the costs of emergency repairs, communities of owners for damage to communal facilities and business owners.
Claims can be made up until October 14 at the Subdelegacion del Gobierno, and will then be dealt with by the Interior Ministry’s Direccion General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (DGPCE).
For more information see www.interior.gob.es and www.proteccioncivil.es

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Written by

Cathy Elelman

Cathy Elelman is the local writer for the Costa de Almeria edition of the Euro Weekly News.

Based in Mojacar for the last 21 years, Cathy is very much part of the local community and is always well and truly up on all the latest news and events going on in this region of Spain.

Her top goals are to do the best job she can informing the local English-speaking community, visitors to the area and the wider world about about the news in Almeria, to learn something new every day, and to embrace very new challenge this fast-changing world brings her way.

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

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