Too little - too late

Benidorm council to take urgent action following Sunday's deluge

Sunday's downpour that saw more rain fall on Benidorm in 30 minutes than has fallen over the past nine months, has prompted the council to announce an almost €1 million investment.

It will provide adequate drainage on Avenida Docotor Orts Llorca, one of the worst affected by the deluge.

The town's water and security councilor, José Marcet, said on Monday that approval for the project to build water channels on the avenue was imminent and that once finished would see an end to the disastrous scenes witnessed on Sunday.

Videos taken by members of the public showed motorbikes being washed away and commercial premises being flooded by the metre-high wave of water that surged along the avenue.

The downpour also severely affected Avenida Alfonso Puchades and Vía de Emilio Ortuño as well as parts of Avenida Mediterráneo.

Sr Marcet said that work on the project will be underway by the middle of November, after the fiestas have finished.

He added that the drainage system would be improved along with an upgrade of the existing pipes.

The councillor went on to say that although the council has been forced to take urgent action, it was a lack of adequate funding that prevented such measure from being taken earlier.

He also said that similar projects to improve the drainage systems on Avenida Alfonso Puchades and Vía Emilio Ortuño have been put on hold because there is no money available to finance them.

That apart, the council said that the overall state of the town's drainage system is very good and that within a a few hours of Sunday's storm ending, everything was back to normal.

Opposition parties said the council has had years in which to come up with a plan to drain rainwater away during heavy storms yet it has taken until now for it to get itself into action and actually do something. For some shopkeepers this has come too late to save their businesses.

NATIONS' DAY

Benidorm council has announced it will be celebrating its second Día de las Nacionalidades festival this Sunday, October 11, in l'Aigüera park.

The slogan for this year's event is 'We are Benidorm' and the person behind it is citizens participation councillor, Gema Amor.

During the day-long festival, visitors will be able to experience the culture, folklore, and gastronomy from 22 different countries.

The event opens at 16.00 and Cristina Climent Yarwood, the owner of Benidorm Palace, will preside over the opening ceremony.