AFTERMATH: Weekend rain hammers Costa province causing major flood damages

THE Costa Almeria took a real hammering from heavy rains at the weekend.
As much as 40 litres of water teemed down in just half an hour on Friday morning along the coast between Carboneras and Garrucha, causing flooding and problems on roads.
Garrucha was particularly hard hit. The Friday morning market turned into a scene of chaos as manholes overflowed and the streets became fast-flowing torrents. An amateur video showed the force of the water wrecking several stalls and sweeping crates of fruit and vegetables and through the streets and down to the sea.
The emergency services were called out to around 15 incidents of inundated business premises and basements in Garrucha, Mojacar and Los Gallardos. There was also flood damage to Garrucha’s schools, childen’s playgrounds, a number of municipal buildings, roads and the church.
Garrucha Mayor Maria Lopez stressed that most of the water drained fairly rapidly into the sea, and the town was cleaned up and back to normal fairly quickly.
But the massive storms left the area’s beaches a mess. The accumulated water channelled out deep furrows on the sand, walkways and showers were damaged, pipes were left exposed where the heavy seas washed away the sand completely, and signposts came down.
Maria Lopez said the council would evaluate the damage, not ruling out the possibility of requesting financial assistance from the regional government.