The predictions have come true. The DANA that is still over the Almanzora region is leaving images that the residents of the north of the province have not seen for too long.
The Almanzora River overflowed in several places due to the amount of water it accumulated and the road that crosses the region was cut off and open, unable to withstand so much water.
The rains have caused the collapse of the road between Serón and Hijate, specifically on the Serón bypass. The road has literally opened up and remains closed to traffic.
The Andalusian Government has enabled an alternative detour via the western access road to Serón and exit via the eastern access road A-1178, until reaching the A-334 again.
The Almanzora River overflowed its banks near Armuña and flooded the artery that runs through the Almanzora Valley. For several hours, vehicles were unable to go up to the northern part of the region until the road was cleared.
The bridge that gives access to Olula del Río from the A-334 has remained closed to traffic practically all morning due to the accumulation of mud and water and vehicles accessed the Olula del Río municipality through the entrance to the Casa Ibáñez Museum.
There are towns where the amount of rain exceeded 150 litres per square metre. This is the case of Lúcar, where by 4pm 153 litres had already fallen and where in the morning the Cela reservoir was even overflowing, several walls collapsed and the water flooded municipal buildings. The damage in this town is still being quantified by the municipal authorities.
The same thing is happening in Hijate, where the A-334 was completely flooded as it passed through the Hijate Station. The water that fell in the last few hours, at times torrential, has broken pipes and left the neighbourhood of El Ramil, La Estación and part of the houses in Hijate without water. Numerous rural roads and accesses to houses were completely destroyed. The damage that the mayor himself, Antonio Ramón Salas, believes “will be considerable”.
In Tíjola, they are still taking stock of the damage, especially to access roads and rural roads. Activities have been suspended in El Higueral, the Sports Schools and the sports complex remains temporarily closed.
In Macael, they are still cleaning up many facilities that were flooded due to the storm last night, such as the municipal theatre. A municipality where up to 124 litres per square metre have fallen.
In Albox, the districts of San Roque and Locaiba are still without water because the water from the ravine has washed away the main pipeline.
In Fines, more of the same. The town centre and the hamlets will remain without water until tomorrow at noon due to the breakdown of the main network caused by torrential rains.
And Olula del Río, with more than 100 litres accumulated, has woken up with collapsed walls, flooded streets and isolated neighbourhoods, especially in the areas of Huitar Mayor, Huitar Menor and the La Noria neighbourhood. Power and water cuts that are still being resolved at this time.
Storms may continue throughout the night. On Wednesday, the weather will be increasingly stable, although showers are not ruled out in the Almanzora Valley. Maximum temperatures of 20 degrees and minimum temperatures of 12.
Starting on Thursday, the DANA will continue its path towards the north or northeast, so the probability of precipitation will decrease. An increase in temperatures and more stable weather is expected for the second half of the week throughout the north of the province of Almería.