Malaga is dealing with a nightmarish rodent invasion as rats are running around the city’s public spaces, prompting health fears for locals and holidaymakers
Sunseekers hitting one of Spain’s most popular resorts are being confronted with a less-than-welcome surprise.
Malaga is currently wrestling with an epidemic of rats swarming its streets and sun-drenched plazas, causing concerns for both locals and tourists alike. Sightings of the rodents have increased significantly across the city, including in popular districts such as Churriana, Haza de Cuevas (Carranque), and Parque de Huelin.
Locals say rats have been brazenly scampering through crowds and even terrorising children. One resident, Maria del Carmen Aguilar, said she spotted rats running between people’s feet at Parque de Huelin. Speaking to SUR, she said: “We are afraid because the rats run between our feet, as happened last week to one of the children (in the Parque de Huelin).”
Rising temperatures due to the climate crisis are blamed for the spike in rodent activity, as Europe grapples with fierce heatwaves that push thermometers to the 40C mark and elevate public health risks, according to experts cited by the Express.
Offering a stark reminder of the dangers posed by such searing conditions, Hector Tejero of the Spanish Health Ministry warned about the perilous heat, saying: “The heat is killing 3,000 people a year and it’s going to get worse. But while exposure to extreme heat is going to rise, we can also step up our adaptation to it.”
Mr Tejero added: “Although it’s hotter in Spain than it was 20 years ago, fewer people are dying because homes are better adapted, because we have air conditioning, and because people are getting into a culture of dealing with the heat.”
Malaga city councillor Penelope Gomez has acknowledged that rodent infestations are a widespread issue across Europe. In a recent council meeting, Gomez announced an increase in both efforts and budget from the environment department to tackle the pest problem, boosting the rodent eradication fund from €142,000 euros to a substantial €400,000.
Local representative Francisco Giron has also noted a rise in cockroaches and expressed concerns about mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus in Malaga, which have been associated with several deaths in Andalusia. Councillor Begona Medina has voiced her concern over the increasing number of rodents and insects, pressing Gomez for more information on the mosquito responsible for spreading the West Nile virus.
