Hundreds of individuals, including British citizens, were swiftly evacuated from a popular Spanish holiday destination due to concerns about a potential dam breach in the mountainous area. Approximately 200 people were urgently removed from the Estacion de Benaojan neighborhood, located between Malaga and Gibraltar. Emergency services mandated the complete evacuation of the town, nestled amidst mountains, at approximately 4 pm on Friday.
Anxiety-ridden residents reported sensing the ground shaking as water surged through limestone caves beneath their residences. The evacuation was prompted by apprehensions regarding the Montejaque Dam, situated in the mountains above the town, which has been inactive and dry for almost a century.
Constructed in the 1920s, the dam was abandoned later due to its inability to retain water, causing leakage into the caves below the town. The structure was erected on porous rock. The recent heavy rainfall from Storm Leonardo in the region has reignited concerns about this old and neglected dam.
The combination of rainwater and the dam’s impact has led to the unprecedented filling of underground caves, as reported by The Olive Press. A significant tremor around 7 pm on Friday prompted residents to flee to the streets in fear, according to Sur in English.
Numerous British nationals, alongside other tourists and locals, were evacuated, notably from the Molino del Santo hotel, a favored destination for UK visitors situated near the river. Francisco Parra, a local resident, recounted how Civil Protection officers instructed them to vacate their homes due to the hillside instability.
The mayor of Benaojan attributed the emergency evacuation to adverse weather conditions and the risk of the Montejaque dam overflowing. Subsequently, emergency services conducted a systematic evacuation of residents and visitors, relocating around 200 individuals to a village higher in the mountains.
Geologists have posited that the alarming tremors may result from water pressure forcing air and liquid through the subterranean caves. Despite this, government representative Javier Salas, who visited the affected area, assured that there was no immediate danger of flooding.
This incident follows the mass evacuations in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco due to Storm Leonardo, causing flooding and freezing temperatures across the region. Portugal has declared a state of emergency, labeling the aftermath of the extreme weather a “devastating crisis,” with Storm Marta expected to worsen conditions on Saturday.