Farmers jump for joy as their fields get a soaking in latest spell of rain

2016-11-26 08:00:00

Farmers’ groups were unanimous this week in welcoming the heavy rains that swept across Malaga province and much of the rest of Spain.
“This water is really something. It’s a blessing from above. It’s like a good hosing down, what [the countryside] needed,” said Juan Antonio García, secretary of Coag Malaga, which represents the local agricultural sector. Other representatives added that fortunately the rain wasn’t enough to damage any of the crops.
Despite the welcome downpours, official data shows that reservoirs in the province are still very low. Junta de Andalucía figures say that the seven local reservoirs are actually slightly less full than a week ago, even after the rain, and are 35 per cent down on their level at the same time last year.
If levels fell slightly more in the largest reservoirs, at La Viñuela and Guadalhorce, an official drought would be declared.source surinenglish