PROPERTY SEARCH

Date Published: 26/09/2022

ARCHIVED - Mar Menor flooded with harmful fresh water following weekend storms

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Three times more potentially contaminated flood water has drained into the Mar Menor

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Mar Menor flooded with harmful fresh water following weekend storms

The torrential storms which battered the Region of Murcia this weekend, flooding entire municipalities and claiming the life of one person, have proved to be a huge setback for the Mar Menor, tripling the amount of potentially contaminated water surging into the lagoon, according to director general of Emergencies, Fulgencio Perona.

The timing is most unfortunate, since all of the recent technical reports show significant improvements in the environment: oxygen levels have returned to normal, the temperature is decreasing and thousands of tonnes of algae have been removed from the lagoon’s shores.

Data from the Segura Hydrographic Confederation show a considerable increase in the amount of fresh water washing into the Mar Menor from the Albujón boulevard, which had 119 litres per square metre rushing through it over the last couple of days.

Few places escaped the downpours, and the additional rain water is guaranteed to “have consequences” on the fragile ecosystem, Mr Perona said.

Aside from rising water levels, the main concern is that the water now draining freely from the nearby agricultural land will be dragging fertiliser loaded with harmful nutrients into the Mar Menor.

In addition, several sewage networks in San Javier, Los Alcázares and Cartagena have overflowed, turning the coastal waters dirty brown with thousands of litres of mud and sludge.

Ramblas such as La Maraña in Los Alcázares and Carrasquilla in Cartagena also dumped huge quantities of rain water into the lagoon on Sunday.

“Since the summer we have been warning that this could happen,” the general director stressed.

Images: AAVV Los Urrutias