Jorge Hinojosa
RESIDENTS in Marbellas were forced to use boats to access their homes after torrential rain turned roads into rivers.
Heavy downpours on Sunday led to flooding in the Nueva Andalucia area of the coastal town cutting access to Calle Aries for several hours.
Some residents were spotted travelling from their doorsteps by boat in images shared on social media, while others had to remove their shoes and wade through the waist-high water to reach their homes.
Property owners blame the council for poor urban planning which causes the flooding and which they said happened every time the area was hit by heavy rainfall.
Kalinka Latcheva, manager of Nine Lions Residences, which was among the most affected by the flooding told the Olive Press: “We have reported this problem to Marbella’s town hall several times, but they have done nothing to solve it.”
One of the main culprits is a large property built in the riverbed that is blamed on blocking the natural flow of rainwater from the hills in the interior.
Marbella is notorious for planning irregularities which stem from a corruption scandal dating back to Jesus Gil, a former mayor of Marbella between 1991 and 2002 when planning permission was granted in return for kickbacks.
READ MORE:
- IN IMAGES: Torrential rain causes flooding across Costa del Sol
- Rain to continue in Spain’s Andalucia until Wednesday of next week
- Latest rains guarantee summer water supply for tourism on Spain’s Costa del Sol
