Huelva is grappling with a severe mosquito outbreak, thanks to a unique combination of recent weather phenomena.
Following the rains during Holy Week and a swift transition to intense heat, mosquitoes have begun to multiply at an alarming rate across Huelva, stretching to its coastal fringes.
David Toscano, president of the Huelva Provincial Council, pinpointed the onset of this issue to a ‘spectacular’ combination of intense rains followed by a heatwave and unusual easterly winds.
The climatic conditions have created an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, particularly troubling in the drought-affected and now waterlogged Doñana Natural Park, where standard pest control measures are limited due to strict environmental protections.
A challenge for local authorities
This mosquito explosion, termed ‘an unprecedented phenomenon’ by Toscano, poses a significant challenge.
Despite the robust efforts by the mosquito control service, which is regarded as a national benchmark, their effectiveness has been hampered by these extraordinary weather events.
Toscano remains hopeful, however, stating, ‘we are working tirelessly to manage the situation in areas where we can intervene.’
Impact on local festivities
The issue has escalated to the point where the mosquito presence was detected significantly in the urban centre of Huelva last week, prompting immediate adulticidal treatments around the city’s outskirts and central areas since the previous Monday.
The looming celebration of El Rocio in late May, held in nearby Almonte, is now under threat unless the mosquito numbers are curbed soon, a concern that has been publicised across various social media platforms.
Commenting on the situation, MeteoAlmonte posted: ‘Both humans and animals in the area of Doñana are being devoured by mosquitos.’ Another person posted: ‘I had never seen anything like this in my life.’
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