Cortes de la Frontera and Jimera de Líbar prepare for the red rain alert:

The municipalities of Jimera de Libar and Cortes de la Frontera in the Serranía de Ronda are taking measures in response to the red warning issued by the State Meteorological Agency for this Wednesday due to the arrival of storm Leonardo. Up to 200 liters per square meter are expected to fall in the area in 24 hours, or 150 in 12 hours. Consequently, to mitigate the risk of flooding, entrances to homes closest to the Guadiaro River, at the train station between both towns, have been boarded up, and some homes in this area have been evacuated or residents advised to move to higher floors.

"We have been working since last week on the predictable risk device and being cautious regarding the evacuations of the population and vulnerable people. We are in an emergency situation, we already have patrols of local police deployed, as well as Civil Guard and Civil Protection. Tomorrow we will have a preventive fire crew from the Provincial Fire Consortium of Málaga, in addition to the Infoca Plan which will also support us," highlights Elena Puente, Councilor for Security, Emergencies, and Sports of the Municipality of Cortes de La Frontera, to this newspaper, from the Civil Protection headquarters of the town, where an operational center will be set up during the day.

Around eight-thirty on Tuesday evening, alarms began to sound on mobile phones, warning of this alert level. Additionally, the councilor asserts that there are already vehicles fully equipped with the necessary materials (flood PPE, tools, etc.), and that inside the headquarters there are blankets, dry clothes, as well as water pumping engines or for addressing a possible power outage; areas for the population to rest and a field hospital can be set up.

Moreover, she warns that these precautions are taken because they know "the river level is going to increase" and therefore "residents are taking their own measures." "They are boarding up doors, moving to upper floors or coming to the main area of the municipality to relatives' homes. We work preventively because we are dealing with lives." In addition, the nearby towns of the Serranía de Ronda "are all connected", through "meetings with the government delegation, 112, emergency teams." "Today more than ever we need to help each other," she emphasizes.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Jimera de Líbar, Francisco Javier Lobo, notes that they have been announcing through the town's loudspeakers and the station for about "three days" the forecast of such heavy rain so that people would take precautions. "To all the homes that are next to the river, we have put up construction mesh with cement and evacuated the families who do not have other residences and who are in danger of something happening, which are two. The rest, which are 15 people, have stayed with family and friends. Others have remained because they did not want to leave, but they have upper floors and are about five," he clarifies.

To this, he adds that all the inhabitants (around 440 people) keep in touch through a WhatsApp group, and that they are coordinated with 112 through a walkie and with the rest of the municipalities. "Each town has its operational center. Tomorrow the firefighters will be between Cortes and Jimera, we hope it rains little, although the river is quite low and for it to rise it has to rain a lot and for a long time. It's true that if 200 liters fall at once it will cause damage, but if they fall dispersed maybe not so much".

Residents, in prevention

The streets of Jimera de Líbar and Cortes de la Frontera have been little traveled during the afternoon of this Tuesday, when many of the residents opted to buy last-minute supplies and food or stay indoors, after preparing them for the impending storm.

"We have been preparing the house so it does not flood because last year it almost reached the door. This [street] was flooded. We put up wooden planks and things to protect it. Last week some work was done by the station for fear that the river would overflow," says Sebastián, a resident of Jimera de Líbar.

Meanwhile, Sergio Blanco, residing in the area adjacent to the river, comments that "they have already boarded up" his entire entrance, and that he will stay in his house. "In 2018 the river rose over a meter, but well if it doesn't rain that much it won't be the same. The house has an upper part where to stay. If there's a lot of risk I would try to leave but I don't think it will reach up there".

Thus, a foreigner from the same area, Villy Stambuliero, reports that she has prepared, but was going to move to the high area of the municipality to spend the night. "I have put all my things up high, we are going to be evacuated and I was getting ready. I saw that they had already boarded up the entrance to the house this morning and I hope everything goes well, I have been living here for about two months," she narrates.