The Plaza de Gaspar Esteva, more commonly known as La Plaza de Las Palmeras, is losing its Palms, thanks to a beetle plague.

Consequently, Motril Town Hall has begun cutting them down, after one of them came down on its own accord Monday afternoon (around five) onto a bar terrace.

Thankfully, nobody was injured. Had it been in the morning or later in the afternoon, the square would have had many more people in it.

These palm trees have been around for generation and are very emblematic of the said square, so it was no easy decision to get rid of them before somebody was hurt by a falling tree.

The picudo-rojo plague, however, is merciless, and has affected parks, squares and private gardens all along the coast, with the first cases about a quarter of a century ago… alright, 25 years ago, but you must admit a centenary-sounding reference is more effective.

Originally from South-Eastern Asia, it soon found its way into North Africa and from there, Southern Europe.

Infected trees can be treated; not always successfully, but it is possible. Councillor for Parks and Gardens, Daniel Ortega, has a board of experts looking into how to tackle the problem. After all, there are specimens over 100-years old, in Barrio de San Francisco, undergoing treatment.

(News/Noticias: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)