View on 3rd Zurgena landslide

[Hope]

Yes there were Cameras, they were doing a live TV link.....

[musicdonna]

I thought I saw TV cameras there around 7pm last night.  Did anyone else?

[Hope]

As a resident evacuated from our home for three months we did have some of our rent paid by the Town hall but they would only pay 300euros for the first three months and after that we were on our own.  To date they have not paid all monies due to the very kind people we were able to rent a property off at very short notice.

[Seth Pittham]

Just as an aside. Today I happened to see a brace of individuals on the top of the hill, sporting theodolites and binoculars, scanning the situation. I rather thing the gents were looking at a lady having a shower half a kilometre away, rather than studying the hill. The young lady geologist in charge (I am using a little poetic licence relating to young, lady and in charge), was asked to present herself at the office prior to her scuttling away to generate another worthless report. Being pretty certain she would "do a runner", some of the local affected families created a human shield, preventing her and her associates driving off into the sunset.

In summary, she blamed the poor chap who has been driving the digger, saying he didn't do his job properly. Shame he was not there to answer to the comment. I am sure there would have been an upper and lower set of teeth needed. From where I stood, the digger driver was skilled and obviously working to instruction. In any normal project, his work would have been signed off by the geologist who set out the plan of works. So, there we have it. Basically a large collection of ******* . Pardon me.

It was interesting to note that a lawyer representing some of the neighbours had arranged to meet with the Mayor and deputy mayor today. After driving from Almeria, he was faced with an empty office. Both had been called away. Tut, bloody tut.

[Amanda Oakley]

We have requested assistance and know that the "primary need" properties ie. homes did receive three months rent paid during the first "eviction" and they are now battling for further compensation.... BUT we are told there is no system in place for small businesses either at local or regional governement level.
Our insurer (Mapfre) did sent an inspector at the outset but referred the matter to the Consorcio as our policy does not cover natural disasters, the Consorcio sent an assesor and they in turn dictated that we did not have a claim as there was no structural damage....
We will reconsider changes to our insurance once this is over as at more than €1,200.00 per annum we expected some sort of assistance!!!

[Cielos]

Thanks all for the comments - still "in-situ" obviously under our own repsonsibility and to date, no "visits" from anyone in authority other than the PSOE Mayoral canditate who was clearly only interested in ammunition to fire against the current parties in place!!!!
Whilst relocating on a permanent basis has been a consideration, the financial investment we made at the outset (the premises were just a concrete shell) would implicate a huge loss so, not really an option....
Regards

They have either got to compensate you both properly or fund your move to suitable premises

I want to know what Spanish businesses and residents think?  Have they received any "aid"???

[Rod]

I think Penfold means for you, Seth, to work in the Town Hall and the incompetant Town hall staff to work in the street or have i got it wrong?

[Seth Pittham]

My dear Penfold.

What a wonderful idea you have planted. To block off the main road with myself and a desk, complete with me sat down repairing something in the centre of the main road, whilst the papers and TV record my being arrested would make delightful coverage.

On the phone to Canal Sur.

Regards

[Amanda Oakley]

Thanks all for the comments - still "in-situ" obviously under our own repsonsibility and to date, no "visits" from anyone in authority other than the PSOE Mayoral canditate who was clearly only interested in ammunition to fire against the current parties in place!!!!
Whilst relocating on a permanent basis has been a consideration, the financial investment we made at the outset (the premises were just a concrete shell) would implicate a huge loss so, not really an option....
Regards

[Hope]

As I have said previously, we are one of the families affected by this landslide.  When we were given the eviction notice on a Sunday afternoon at 2.00pm....were they serious?  How on earth would we uproot 5 adults and four dogs to an available property.

The Town Hall are useless, as Seth said unless you constantly badger them you get no information what so ever!!!!!

[byrney]

It does not take either a civil engineer or a geologist to work out that the whole of that cliff is absolutely dangerous and if anyone thinks it´s safe to locate human beings in it´s path really do need their bumps felt.

As for getting a local builder to come in and "stabilise" it, well, that is an absolute joke.

Phil is absolutely correct about terracing.  There are thousands of examples of potentially highly dangerous cliffsides which have stood the test of time using terracing.

Of course, the cynics amongst us might think that it would not be a good idea to do a "proper job" - after all, there´s a job for life here.....

[ramblarider]

Obviously, grotesque levels of incompetence and general neglect of duty involved here. My reaction would be the same. I'd shut down any business there and relocate somewhere else - and tell them why. I'd have a hard job handing over one more cent to people who are clearly so completely useless. In any normal country you would stand a fair chance in court if you sued them for consequential losses, but here, sadly, you would merely be throwing good money after bad.

[musicdonna]

Seth,

Excuse me if you've already thought of this, but is there any mileage at all in going to an MEP?

Donna

[felipe]

I am surprised that they did not terrace the hillside as this is a proven method of stabilising whilst also allowing the new terraces to be farmed.  This would in turn help stabilisation even more.   Terracing can be seen in many place locally but it is more prevalent in La Alpujarra where the Moors first used the system in Spain. I'll see if I can find a photo to show what I mean.

[gus-lopez]

I think that is a perfectly reasonable post & in your circumstances I'd have been making all there lives a misery for the whole period !

Just a thought?  Is it worth speaking to your insurance company as originally wouldn't the first landslide have come under 'Riesgo extraordinaire' & be claimable from the Consorcio ?

[Norm2]

Just a thought and maybe you must have considered it but surely a permanent move into vacant premises in Arboleas would provide a permanent solution . The advantage being that you would then be dealing with a sympathetic Council and still be near to your clientele.

[hotphot]

Don't think you have been over sensitive at all, I would think that you are sick to the teeth with it. Seems to me it needs a civil engineer not a geologist.

[Seth Pittham]

As many readers of the forum material will probably know, I am not one to rant about things in public domains, such as the forum. However, I find the recent 3rd landslide in Zurgena and the subsequent 2nd eviction order served to 8 dwellings including two businesses totally incomprehensible.
Following the first landslide in November 2012, families and 3 businesses were evicted from the dwellings and offices that could have possibly been compromised by falling rubble. Relocation costs and rents of the dislocated families were paid for by the Town Hall for the 3 -4 months prior to being allowed to move back in this year. As for the 2 businesses, Zeta and ALO services, no help was available. On your own. I cannot speak for the 3rd business, a Spanish hairdresser. Actually, before I get heavily borated again by the Deputy Mayor (a phone call from the Deputy Mayor received at 9.30 one evening complaining I had gone to the press), the 2 businesses were offered totally unsuitable accommodation in the next village, tucked out of sight, a location which gets broken into and where internet, installation of antennas etc.. were not possible. Therefore, in my books, no help.
Remedial works were done, supposedly in accordance with a geology report. Albeit, following the works starting, it was muted that the amount of material to be removed form the mountain was in fact, thought to be 3 times greater than first thought, in order for a final solution to be achieved. So we are lead to believe.
Three and a half months later, were given the all clear to move in. Both offices redecorated due to damp ingress from the earth built up behind the offices (yet to be removed). That weekend, a section of the newly hacked mountain moved, and we were all evicted. Another few weeks pass, further geology reports and big digger activity, see a further section removed from the hill, to the left hand side of the offices in Avenida 19de Octubre. The land behind the office, which was partly removed and terraced in the first schedule of works remained un touched. There was no need to touch this, so was said. We were given permission to move in.
Three weeks later, following last Sunday's half a day of heavy rain, common for this time of year, the land behind the office block collapsed. On Sunday the 28th, local police issued those affected with another eviction order.
I cannot speak for the families and others who have been put out by this total and absolute debacle, but trying to run 2 businesses whilst having to suffer relocating offices, stock transport, equipment transport, insurance, communication, loss of business etc. is totally unacceptable, given the obvious total incompetence of those who have collectively been managing and carrying out the work.
In all of this, we have we seen no representation from the Town Hall. Nobody has come to us and explained what is happening, no offers of support. It is only when you press the town hall for information do you get the minimum amount of information.
Following a brief meeting with a councillor from Zurgena Town Hall, I was told, in summary, there was no money to deal with the matter. That argument is a) of no help to businesses that cannot operate, b) ill advised. I say this on the basis of the following; We know that an amount of work has been done to date. Quotes of 300,000€ have been mentioned. If I take an educated guess at 1200€ per day to hire, run the digger, pay the driver for say 60 days, add the cost of the geology report, add costs of a few lories moving spoil and so forth, I struggle to get to half that figure. Lets call it 150,000€ Where has that come from? I will not believe the driver has not been paid, the diesel supplier has not been paid, the hire of the machinery has not been covered.
I accept that landslide and other events happen. But I cannot accept the armature, incompetent way the whole matter has been dealt with, through into the pot the arrogant ignorance of those who purport to be in control, makes for a bitter pill to swallow.
Sorry to go on. Perhaps I am being over sensitive. In the meanwhile, I am open for business, same place, not leaving, but would state that given we have been officially told to leave, having a customer in the office is probably not a good thing. You can stand outside the office and pass me your faulty TV through the doorway, just in case you get hit on the head by a falling lump of mud.