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Expat family saved from flood deaths by quick thinking
| Published: | 23 Dec at 6 PM |
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During the worst Costa del Sol floods in decades, an expat mother and daughter only escaped death by wriggling out of their kitchen window.
The recent Costa del Sol floods were the worst in 27 years, and inundated the popular expat city of Fuengirola and its surroundings at lightning speed, threatening lives and property. Adrianne Williamson and her daughter Lisa were asleep in their Calle Membrillo home when the water flooded in, and were woken by their dogs climbing on the bed. Wondering why the dogs were soaking wet, Adrianne first though the roof must have sprung a leak, but the water came in so fast she realised the whole house was being inundated. She screamed to wake up her daughter, but by ten minutes later the flood was up to their necks.
The terrified pair attempted to round up the dogs, but realised almost immediately they would die if they couldn’t find a way out themselves. Unable to open the doors due to the water pressure from the flooding river close by, mother and daughter rushed to the kitchen and finally escaped by swimming through the window, followed by several of their dogs. High water all around the property forced them to break down the gate before they could reach safety. Later, they found the entire house had been wrecked and everything they owned was unsalvageable.
Speaking to popular expat newspaper The Olive Press, Adrianne told how she and Lisa were forced to move back into the bungalow after the waters subsided, as they literally had no-where else to go. Possessions, photographs and other sentimental items ware either swept out on the flood or ruined, and they had no home insurance. At this point, the local community stepped up and they were able to stay for a week at CLC Club La Costa Work without charge whilst volunteers from the Help the Homeless and Flood Victims group did their best to clean up their home.
Adrianne praised the volunteers’’ work, both at her home and the 50 other homes in the street also inundated when the river burst its banks. Locals say severe flooding happened once in 1976, but describe the recent instance as far worse.
The recent Costa del Sol floods were the worst in 27 years, and inundated the popular expat city of Fuengirola and its surroundings at lightning speed, threatening lives and property. Adrianne Williamson and her daughter Lisa were asleep in their Calle Membrillo home when the water flooded in, and were woken by their dogs climbing on the bed. Wondering why the dogs were soaking wet, Adrianne first though the roof must have sprung a leak, but the water came in so fast she realised the whole house was being inundated. She screamed to wake up her daughter, but by ten minutes later the flood was up to their necks.
The terrified pair attempted to round up the dogs, but realised almost immediately they would die if they couldn’t find a way out themselves. Unable to open the doors due to the water pressure from the flooding river close by, mother and daughter rushed to the kitchen and finally escaped by swimming through the window, followed by several of their dogs. High water all around the property forced them to break down the gate before they could reach safety. Later, they found the entire house had been wrecked and everything they owned was unsalvageable.
Speaking to popular expat newspaper The Olive Press, Adrianne told how she and Lisa were forced to move back into the bungalow after the waters subsided, as they literally had no-where else to go. Possessions, photographs and other sentimental items ware either swept out on the flood or ruined, and they had no home insurance. At this point, the local community stepped up and they were able to stay for a week at CLC Club La Costa Work without charge whilst volunteers from the Help the Homeless and Flood Victims group did their best to clean up their home.
Adrianne praised the volunteers’’ work, both at her home and the 50 other homes in the street also inundated when the river burst its banks. Locals say severe flooding happened once in 1976, but describe the recent instance as far worse.
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