FLASH floods and high winds battering the Costa del Sol since the early hours of Sunday morning have had emergency services working flat-out, with over 200 call-outs by noon today.
Cars trapped, buildings waterlogged and fallen trees, lamp posts and roof tiles blocking roads and pavements meant the 112 police, fire and ambulance hotline was ringing off the hook all day as the province was soaked with 130 litres of rain per square metre (13 centimetres, or five-and-a-half inches).
A bamboo awning came down from the front of a bar on the C/ Bolivia in Málaga city right in the middle of a concert, and the metropolitan museum was flooded out, although it is not thought that any of the artefacts on display are damaged.
The government offices, a nursing home on the C/ Arcángeles, a homeless shelter on the C/ Ollerías and an X-ray room in a GP surgery were also under water.
Around 100 people had to run for cover in a car park on the C/ Granados and were trapped there until firefighters attended the scene, and several main highways were blocked with deep puddles.
One street – the C/ Flamencosa (second picture) actually collapsed, forcing workment to rush urgently to the scene to carry out repairs and avert possible accidents.
Government president Mariano Rajoy has voiced his 'sympathy' for those affected by the floods, a day ahead of his cabinet's trip to the Costa del Sol capital for the Spain-France Summit, which will be attended by French president François Hollande.
Mayor of Málaga city, Francisco de la Torre, said once again that it was 'vital' for the metropolitan area to have 'more defence capacity' against extreme weather conditions, and that 'in the next few days' a clear plan would be announced.
An investment of between €15 million and €20m on repairing structural defects in the eastern part of the city and the Cádiz road is on the table, and Málaga council hopes to be able to secure European Union grants for part of the works.
A MAN declared dead at his home in the province of Tarragona was on his way to the funeral parlour when he turned out to be alive, according to police sources.
A NEW child protection law named after a British musician living in Spain has been approved in Congress and is set to be signed off by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, June 8.
