Thursday 26 / December / 2024
Madrid: At least 51 people have died in devastating storms that swept through southern and eastern Spain.
Regional emergency services reported the mounting toll as rescue workers discovered additional bodies Wednesday in Valencia's flood-ravaged eastern region.
"Dead bodies have been found," confirmed Carlos Mazon, head of Valencia's regional government, who declined to provide further details out of respect for victims' families.
Torrential rains lashed several parts of southeastern Spain, causing flash floods that swept roads and towns on Tuesday.
Authorities prompted residents to take shelter at home and issued red alerts in the eastern Valencia region, with some areas such as Turis and Utiel recording 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rainfall.
Emergency rescues underway
Dozens of videos circulating on social media showed people stuck in floodwaters, with many clinging to trees to avoid being swept away.
The flash floods swept cars off roads, disrupted rail service in large swathes of eastern Spain, and interrupted flight operations. The storms also left parts of Valencia without power.
"Yesterday was the worst day of my life," Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE.
He said several people were still missing in his town. "We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to three meters," he said.
A high-speed train with nearly 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities confirmed no passengers were hurt.
Spain's national rail operator said it had suspended all rail services in the Valencia region "until the situation returns to normal for the safety of passengers."
Schools and sporting events were shut on Wednesday, and parks remained closed.
Over 1,000 emergency response troops were deployed to the affected areas.
Police and rescue workers airlifted people facing the threat of drowning. Authorities also deployed an emergency rescue brigade of Spain's army to expedite the rescue efforts.
