Malaga storms update: floods begin to recede but yellow weather warnings remain in place

Zoom

After the rainiest winter in 16 years, provincial reservoirs stand at 90% capacity as residents brace for further precipitation following a week of devastating storms

Chus Heredia

Monday, 9 February 2026, 16:34

To the relief of Malaga's residents, the rivers in the province are slowly retracting to their natural courses and basins. Some areas, such as Ronda, however, are still under yellow warning for rainfall and the week will continue with precipitation in the whole province.

The succession of storms (Goretti, Harry, Ingrid, Joseph, Kristin, Leonardo and Marta) has become the norm this winter. Adverse weather conditions have caused numerous incidents, evacuations and floods.

The short break on Sunday has allowed the reservoir network and the rivers in the province to stabilise before the arrival of more rain.

Discreet quantities accumulated at various points on Monday morning: 22.5mm in Genal in Jubrique, 21mm in the Guadiaro transfer to the Majaceite, 20.7mm in Pujerra, 16mm in Majada de las Lomas (Cortes de la Frontera), 15.6mm in Los Reales (Sierra Bermeja) and 11.6mm in Alfarnatejo and Archidona.

The Guadiaro is the watercourse that has caused the most problems in recent weeks, almost permanently with record highs. Even this river, however, eased on Monday, when it carried 77,000 cubic metres per second and a level of 1.71 metres, a far cry from the almost five metres it reached a few days ago.

Both the Guadiaro and the Grande rivers are under a yellow warning. The highest point of the latter on Monday was at Las Millanas (Tolox).

Other rivers that have been under warnings these days are the Campanillas, the Guadalhorce at various points, the Turón, the Guadalteba and the Genal.

This winter has been the rainiest in the past 16 years. On a more positive note, the Guadalhorce reservoirs are technically full. The provincial hydrological network currently contains 522 million cubic metres, standing at 90% of its capacity. It remains at this level even as five dams are releasing water.