Axarquía village swimming pool reopens for first time since devastating floods in November 2024

Swimming pools

The flooding of the Benamargosa river left behind mud, reeds and vehicles swept away by the current, causing extensive damage to homes, businesses, warehouses, restaurants, banks and public spaces

Eugenio Cabezas

The municipal swimming pool in Benamargosa in the Axarquía area of Malaga province reopened on Sunday 28 June, following several months of work to repair ... the damage caused by floods which severely affected large parts of the village during the severe storms that battered the south of Spain in November 2024.

The work has involved an extensive repair work at the site, starting with a thorough clean of the facilities, including the removal of mud and vegetation that had accumulated. The pools have also been refurbished, with particular attention paid to the children’s pool, which has been brought up to standard by raising the bottom to improve safety for young children.

The swimming pool is back after the flood with a new water system, shaded areas and over 1,000 metres of artificial grass

Other improvements carried out include integrating the steps into the walls, painting the interior of the pools in a sand-coloured finish and refurbishing the water system, which now features new equipment, filtration and automatic chlorine and pH control. The town hall said in a statement that the aim has been to make the facility "more comfortable, safer and pleasant" for local residents and visitors.

The area around the swimming pool has been expanded and now has over 1,000 square metres of artificial grass and a sprinkler system to keep the area cool. New heather-coloured parasols, showers, more efficient lighting, new street furniture, benches, litter bins and seven lifebuoys have been installed to enhance safety.

Damage caused by the floods

The reopening has a symbolic significance in a village that was particularly hard hit by the November 2024 storm. The flooding of the River Benamargosa left behind mud, reeds and vehicles swept away by the current, causing extensive damage to homes, businesses, warehouses, restaurants, banks and public spaces.

On that day, local residents and emergency services worked from the early hours to restore normality to the village. The flood affected around fifty properties and presented scenes that were unprecedented for many residents. “I had never seen the River Benamargosa flood like that in my entire life,” former mayor José Gallego told SUR at the time, recalling that in previous incidents water had flooded some streets, but not with the force of that particular flood.

The village regains its swimming pool following a flash flood that caused serious damage to property in Benamargosa in 2024

The facility is generally open from 12pm until 8pm although the town hall advises that these times may be subject to change during swimming lessons. The summer pass scheme is now in place, exclusively for residents of Benamargosa, who must pay by bank transfer to the council’s account and then submit proof of payment to the town hall.

Children’s tickets cost two euros from Monday to Friday and three euros at weekends and on public holidays, while adults will pay three euros on weekdays and four euros on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Children under six and those over 65 can use the pool free of charge. Summer passes, 15-day passes, 20 per cent discounts for large families and people with disabilities, and a family pass costing 60 euros for the whole season are also available.