The Spanish government is still dealing with the fallout of powerful Dana storms that swept through much of the Malaga province earlier this month, which saw a historic episode of torrential rainfall.
Some local residents recorded up to 268 millimetres of rain in just eight hours, according to Sur.
“This flooding has not been seen here for more than 35 years, it is a consequence of climate change,” said the mayor of Comares, José Miguel Ruiz.
Just a couple of weeks later, the Spanish government is now facing a hefty insurance bill after around 2,000 individuals and businesses in Malaga filed claims for damage.
“So far, a total of 83,585 euros have been paid out [through the insurance compensation consortium], so we are making good progress,” said Javier Salasm, the sub-delegate of the government. This is equivalent to nearly £69,500.
The first DANA storm brought widespread flooding to towns in the Andalusian at the end of October.
It was soon followed by another storm – accompanied by an unprecedented Civil Protection alert to mobile phones – which hit Malaga city and surrounding towns on November 13.
The storms wreaked havoc on the region, causing widespread flooding, landslides and property damage.
The first storm resulted in 1,048 claims, with residents and businesses in Malaga city making 237, followed by Alora with 174 claims, Benalmadena with 159, and Cartama with a further 125.
A total of 630 claims related to damage to homes and homeowner associations, while 267 were for vehicles and 123 for businesses or warehouses.
The second storm added another 819 claims, with the highest numbers reported in Malaga city (565), Alhaurin de la Torre (58), and Marbella (56).
Most claims, again, involved homes and communities, with 372 claims, vehicles and commercial properties.
The central government’s compensation scheme aims to provide financial relief, with local officials working to ensure affected residents receive timely support.
While the first payments have begun, there is a long way to go to remedy the full scale of the devastation faced by Malaga residents and businesses.
Horrifying pictures from Malaga showed the huge impact the second storm had on the province, with restaurants and hospitals appearing flooded. Local reports spoke of shocking scenes of police cars floating backwards down the streets as the Guadalhorce River reached near bursting flood levels.
This new storm surge came just two weeks after the devastating flash floods that swept through Valencia that have now killed a total of 224 people, with almost half aged over 70, The Guardian reported.
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