Aftermath of Storm Emilia on the Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol awoke on the morning of December 16, to a calmer scene after a turbulent night marked by strong winds of 130 kilometres per hour, lightning, and heavy rain from Storm Emilia. While the storm’s impacts were notable across Malaga province, particularly along the coast, there were no reports of serious injuries or widespread flooding in urban areas. Instead, the damage was mostly concentrated on beaches, public infrastructure, and festive decorations, with municipal teams quickly mobilising for cleanup and assessments.

In La Cala de Mijas, a tornado, (or water spout), one of the hardest-hit spots, strong gusts toppled several recently installed Christmas lighting arches along the Bulevar de la Cala. Locals had praised these decorations as the best the area had ever seen in La Cala, making their collapse particularly disappointing. Council workers are currently assessing if the decorations can be saved.

During the night, firefighters were called out to seven serious incidents involving, mostly, fallen trees and branches. At least 8 cars have been seriously damaged by falling branches.

Dramatic videos circulated showing the structures crashing onto the roadway. Elsewhere in Mijas, rubbish containers were scattered across streets, roofs on beach bars (chiringuitos) were lifted, and tree branches were torn down. Similar scenes unfolded in nearby Fuengirola, where small trees snapped or were uprooted entirely, street lamps failed in multiple zones, and road signs were bent by the wind’s force.

Residents are advised to exercise caution on the streets this morning, as fallen trees, debris, and potentially dangling electrical cables could still pose hazards. Emergency services are working to clear blocked roads and restore safety.

Coastline battered by Storm Emilia

Other than these urban incidents, Storm Emilia has caused widespread erosion along Malaga’s beaches, especially in the western Costa del Sol. Significant sand loss was reported in Marbella, where stretches of coastline in areas like La Venus and Casablanca were stripped bare by powerful waves, exposing underlying structures in some places. Municipal heavy machinery has been deployed since dawn to redistribute sand and repair affected zones. In Fuengirola and Torremolinos, waves displaced or damaged beach access walkways (pasarelas), informational panels, and even flooded terraces of some chiringuitos. In Torremolinos’ El Saltillo area, a nautical equipment kiosk was swept away, though impacts here were described as localised and minor. Benalmadena also saw similar issues, with water reaching beachfront businesses.

The main incidents were in Avenida de Mijas, calle Uruguay, calle González Anaya, calle Miguel Bueno, calle Boquetillo, calle Fuensanta, calle Alicia, calle Isaac Peral, calle Curro Claros, calle Párroco Jiménez Higuero, avenida Ramón y Cajal, Recinto Ferial, Paseo Marítimo and Paseo Santos Rein.

Throughout the province, wind gusts reached up to 70 km/h, and waves hit four metres, battering the entire coastline over the weekend and into Monday night. AEMET’s yellow warning, primarily for rainfall (up to 40 cm per hour in some spots), remained active until 7am on December 16, but the storm’s tail end brought more wind-driven damage than heavy downpours along the coast. Inland areas saw higher accumulations, but the littoral bore the brunt of the maritime effects.

Overall, while Emilia disrupted the pre-Christmas atmosphere and required significant cleanup efforts, authorities note that natural sand replenishment often occurs in the days following such events. Beaches are expected to recover partially on their own, though ongoing monitoring will determine if further interventions are needed. The region now looks forward to clearer skies, with winds easing and temperatures stabilising.