Laurence Dollimore
ROADS and schools have been closed today following a morning and afternoon of intense rainfall and flooding across Malaga.
Weather agency AEMET had to extend its orange level warning until 3pm as more than 100 litres per square metre of rain fell on Malaga city, the Costa del Sol and Ronda.
Other areas were harder hit, such as Ardales, where up to 142 litres of rain per square metre fell.
The downpour caused the Turon river and El Perro stream to overflow, leaving dozens of families stranded in the low lying areas.
Ardales mayor Juan Alberto Naranjo was forced to close down schools.
Tebas also suffered flooding in the lower lying areas of the town, including a school, which had to be evacuated.
Meanwhile in Ronda the storm surge during the morning dropped 32 litres per square metre of rain in just one hour, flooding shops and garages.
A mother and her baby had to be dramatically rescued by firefighters as their home flooded with water and the streets turned into rapids.
Several highways have had to be closed due to flossing, landslides and accumulation of mud, they are: the MA-7300, from Igualeja to Pujerra; MA-6404 Campillos-Teba; MA-6407 Campillos-El Saucejo and MA-6406 Almargen.
Campillos has once again been one of the hardest hit towns in Malaga.
The municipality is in a low lying area and is one of the most susceptible to flash floods.
But it is not just rain causing damage, with winds of up to 85km/hr leading to fifty reported incidents across the province.
These ranged from falling trees or branches, signs and the blowing of outdoor furniture and awnings.
