All this rain we’ve suffered over the last two months has really exposed the frailties of building methods down here in Andalucía.  Not only have roads collapsed, public buildings leaked copiously and the drains not coped, but houses, both old and new, have suffered water ingress and rain damage.

Hardly surprising really when you look at local building practices.  Have you ever seen a cavity wall, a damp-proof course or lead flashing?  No, me neither.

In normal weather circumstances it doesn’t matter too much: it rains, buildings get wet, the sun shines and the buildings dry out!  But when we get sustained wet weather for as long as we have recently, namely the best part of three months and no sign of it stopping just yet, the whole infrastructure gets exposed. 

It’s a real shame, not only are travel and transport disrupted, and people’s health and welfare affected, but our pretty whitewashed towns and villages are looking decidedly mouldy and uncared-for.

© Paul Whitelock

Tags: andalucia, rain, wet, mould