Flash floods in Spain Despair in Spain after the storms: "No one is coming" +++ New rain clouds are gathering

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31.10.2024 - 17:38

Several people have died after heavy rainfall in large parts of Spain. More people are still missing. The situation is particularly bad in the popular tourist areas.

31.10.2024, 17:38

31.10.2024, 17:42

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According to official figures, at least 70 people have died in severe flooding in the Spanish region of Valencia.
Emergency services are also searching for several missing persons in other provinces in the south-east of the country.
According to media reports, the storm warnings now apply to 10 of the country's 17 autonomous communities.

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16.45 hrs

At least 158 dead in storms in Spain

The number of deaths following the devastating storms in large parts of Spain has risen to at least 158. According to the regional government, 155 bodies were recovered in the hardest-hit region of Valencia in the east of the country alone. There were a further three victims in the regions of Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha. Dozens of people are still missing.

In some places, as much rain fell in one day as normally falls in a year - according to the weather service Aemet, up to 490 liters of rain per square meter in some places in the Valencia region. Within a very short space of time, roads turned into rivers and streams into torrents that swept away people, cars and trees as well as infrastructure, causing great devastation in many places.

16.22 hrs

Desperation in Spain after the storms

In Sedaví, a town of 10,000 people in the province of Valencia south of the city of the same name, the inhabitants are currently in a state of despair.

Water rushed through the streets there, destroying houses and piling up cars that are now blocking entrances so that residents cannot leave their homes.

"I know at least 30 people who almost lost their lives," says one visibly shaken resident to the newspaper "El País". Another almost bursts into tears on camera in the presence of a reporter from state broadcaster RTVE and says: "No one is coming to move the cars or bring us anything. We have been abandoned." The people need food, clothing and shovels to be able to shovel away the masses of earth themselves.

2.36 p.m.

New storm warnings in parts of Spain

After the severe storms in Spain with at least 95 deaths, there is a threat of further rainfall. The weather service Aemet issued a flood warning for the entire province of Castellón, which is also part of the Mediterranean region of Valencia, which was hit hard by heavy rainfall on Tuesday. It had previously been spared from the "cold drop" weather phenomenon, which is now moving north-eastwards.

The government of the Balearic Islands called on the population, especially on the popular vacation islands of Mallorca and Menorca, to exercise the utmost caution in the coming days. The warning level there was orange, the second highest. Spain is facing a long weekend due to tomorrow's public holiday, which many Spaniards usually use to travel. However, Sánchez appealed to people in the affected provinces of Valencia and Castellón: "Stay at home!"

12.17 pm

After the flood: Search for missing persons in Spain

After the devastating storms in the south and east of Spain with at least 95 deaths, many people are still missing despite numerous rescues. Defense Minister Margarita Robles declared the search for them to be the priority of the day, as she told the TV station Telecinco.

The minister did not give a figure, but according to the media, dozens of people are believed to be missing. The focus is now shifting to the question of whether the authorities did not warn of the danger early enough. The full extent of the damage was still unclear on Thursday afternoon.

The minister said that nothing was known about the fate of "many" people. In the particularly hard-hit Mediterranean region of Valencia, where 92 of the 95 people confirmed dead so far have been found, the military is now to carry out targeted searches for people in need in the towns of Paiporta and Masanasa.

At the same time, Robles refused to take part in the debate that has broken out in Spain about failures to warn of these devastating storms. "Everyone knows what they did well and what they did badly," she said, also referring to a dispute between Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the head of government of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazón. Both accuse each other of having been responsible for the warning system.

09.20 a.m.

Video shows destruction after flash floods

These poor people. They must be wondering round in utter shock and disbelief. I can't comprehend!pic.twitter.com/uq4FPcGRw0
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) October 30, 2024

8.12 am

Authorities reject criticism of late alerts

Rescue and clean-up operations are continuing after the violent storm in Spain, which claimed at least 95 lives. A first phase has already been completed, said the head of government of the most affected region, Valencia, Carlos Mazón, on Thursday night. After around 70 aerial missions, all the people who had taken refuge on the roofs of houses had apparently been rescued.

The emergency services have now also been able to reach all the affected villages. The search for missing persons is also continuing. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to arrive in Valencia this morning.

Mazón also rejected criticism that the population had been warned too late about the masses of water. The first warnings had already been issued on Sunday. Those responsible had strictly adhered to the civil defense protocols.

With extremely heavy rainfall - in some places as much rain fell in one day as normally falls in a year - more and more rivers burst their banks on Tuesday. The weather service Aemet spoke of a "historic storm", the worst of its kind this century in the Valencia region, which is popular with holidaymakers.

3 o'clock

Deadly flood: Spain searches for missing persons and culprits

The search for bodies, missing persons and people cut off from the outside world will continue in Spain during the night following the storm disaster that left at least 95 people dead. "However, due to the darkness, many activities will have to be interrupted until daybreak," said the head of the emergency department of the Spanish Red Cross, Iñigo Vila, to the state television station RTVE in the evening.

A woman climbs over debris left behind by the floods in the municipality of Paiporta. (October 30, 2024)
Image: Keystone/EPA/Manuel Bruque

At least four children and six elderly people in a nursing home are among the dead, according to Spanish media reports. It is feared that the number of victims will continue to rise. An official total number of missing persons was not available. Thousands of people in vehicles, houses and villages also needed help.

The situation is particularly bad in the Valencia region, where 92 of the 95 confirmed fatalities have been recovered so far. Other Mediterranean regions such as Andalusia, Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha have also been severely affected. The central government in Madrid declared three days of national mourning from Thursday. It also assured those affected of rapid help with reconstruction.

During the night, numerous highways and country roads were still impassable. Rail traffic was also severely disrupted. Around 115,000 households were without power, and there were still problems with cell phone connections.

Many thousands of people have also been trapped in trains, houses, offices, schools and shopping centers since Tuesday evening. Others sought shelter on the roofs of cars or houses. They were brought to safety on Wednesday by thousands of military, civilian, fire and police personnel, in some cases using helicopters and boats.

1.30 a.m.

What caused the tragedy? Did warnings come too late?

With extremely heavy rainfall - in some places as much rain fell in one day as normally falls in a year - more and more rivers in Spain burst their banks on Tuesday. The weather service Aemet spoke of a "historic storm", the worst of its kind this century in the Valencia region.

Countless roads turned into torrents in a flash. Buildings and fields were flooded. Roads, houses and small bridges collapsed. Trees, containers, cars, trucks and people were swept away by the water like toys. Vehicles were pushed into each other and piled up into mountains of scrap metal.

Survivors reported harrowing experiences. A 57-year-old man told the newspaper "El País" that he had sought refuge in a construction trailer in Paiporta near the provincial capital of Valencia and from there tried to help several people in the water. "I held them by the hand, but the current was so brutal and so fast that we were separated and they were swept away by the tide."

Although the full extent of the tragedy is not yet known and the search and rescue work will continue for some time, a debate has already begun in Spain about possible culprits. The media and the internet have been discussing whether the authorities should have warned citizens earlier or better. Criticism to this effect has been voiced by several town hall leaders, for example. After all, we know that the "Dana" or "cold drop" weather phenomenon is dangerous. It occurs more frequently in the south and east of Spain at the beginning of autumn, when the first Atlantic lows with cold, damp air push over the warm Mediterranean.

The regional government and experts rejected the accusations. Such "brutal consequences" cannot be predicted because they depend on various factors, said the respected meteorologist Francisco Martín León to the Europa Press news agency. The weather service Aemet had provided sufficient and timely information with severe weather warnings of levels three (yellow), two (orange) and one (red).

The weather is expected to improve on Thursday. Severe weather warnings are still in place for parts of Andalusia and Extremadura in the west and for parts of Catalonia in the north-east of the country. The predicted rainfall is limited. Nevertheless, the disaster is far from over, as the authorities keep warning.

Thursday, October 31, 2024, 0.03 a.m.

1200 people are still trapped in vehicles in Valencia

Around 1,200 people are stuck in their vehicles in Spain after the devastating storm, some of them for more than 24 hours. It is estimated that a total of around 5,000 vehicles are stuck on the A3 and A7 highways in the Valencia region, the Guardia Civil (Civil Guard) police unit announced in the evening. These were cars, buses and trucks, some of which had been abandoned by their drivers and passengers. However, there were also people who did not want to leave their vehicles.

According to preliminary official figures, at least 95 people died in the storm. The worst affected region was Valencia in the east of the country, where 92 bodies have been recovered so far. It was not initially known whether tourists or foreigners were among the victims. It is feared that the number of victims will continue to rise. Citing various authorities and affected parties, the media spoke of "dozens" of missing persons in the evening.

The weather service Aemet described the storm as "historic". It was the worst "cold drop" (gota fría) of this century in the Valencia region, it said on X. This weather phenomenon occurs frequently in the Spanish Mediterranean region in the months of September and October. It is based on strongly fluctuating sea and air temperatures and occurs when the first Atlantic lows with cold, damp air push over the warm Mediterranean.

8 p.m.

At least 95 people now dead in floods in Spain

The death toll from flooding in Spain has risen to at least 95. Rescue services in the eastern Spanish region of Valencia confirmed on Wednesday that 92 people had died. Two more deaths were reported in the neighboring region of Castilla-La Mancha. There was one death in southern Andalusia.

3.42 pm

Death toll from storms in Spain rises to more than 70

Following the violent storms in large parts of Spain, the death toll has risen to at least 72. According to the latest provisional figures, at least 70 people died in the Mediterranean region of Valencia alone, as reported by the Spanish state broadcaster RTVE and other media, citing the authorities.

Two more bodies were recovered in the neighboring region of Castilla-La Mancha. Dozens of people were reported missing. In many places, rescue teams were unable to reach the scene with vehicles due to flooded or otherwise blocked roads.

2.18 pm

Masses of water pile up cars

Qué salvajada. Qué barbaridad. pic.twitter.com/ZFrU5XwSo3
— ⚫️ El DiSputado® (@NoSoyLaGente) October 30, 2024

In Alfafar in the province of Valencia, the masses of water have piled dozens of cars on top of each other in the narrow streets. Pictures on X show cars stacked one inside the other and blocking the entire road.

Some places in the province are completely cut off, Spanish media report. Rescue workers are also making little progress, with many emergency vehicles having been swept away by the floods.

12.36 pm

"Historic storm": At least 63 fatalities in Spain

After the severe storms in large parts of Spain, the death toll continues to rise. According to provisional figures, at least 62 people died in the Mediterranean region of Valencia alone, as the Spanish state broadcaster RTVE reported, citing the authorities. According to media reports, an 88-year-old woman was also found dead in Cuenca in the Castilla-La Mancha region.

Dozens of people were reported missing. In many places, rescue teams were unable to reach the scene with vehicles due to flooded or otherwise blocked roads.

The weather service Aemet in Valencia spoke of a "historic storm" in an initial assessment. It was the worst "cold drop" (gota fría) of this century in the Valencia region, Aemet wrote on X. This weather phenomenon occurs frequently in the Spanish Mediterranean region in the months of September and October, it is based on strongly fluctuating sea and air temperatures and occurs when the first Atlantic lows with cold and humid air push over the warm Mediterranean.

11.04 am

Video shows devastating storms

The severe storms have devastated large parts of Spain. In many places, streams have turned into raging rivers and numerous towns and roads are under water. At least 63 deaths have been counted so far, but the authorities expect this number to rise even further.

11.02 a.m.

Rescue teams cannot reach all locations

After the severe storms in large parts of Spain, emergency services in the particularly hard-hit Mediterranean region of Valencia are struggling to reach the scenes of the disaster. Due to flooded or otherwise blocked roads, many operations can only be carried out by helicopter, said José Miguel Basset from the fire department in the province of Valencia to the Europapress news agency.

In the province of Valencia alone, which is part of the region of the same name, at least 51 people lost their lives according to an initial assessment by the civil defense. Dozens were also reported missing, according to the Spanish newspaper "El País". At least six people were also reported missing in the city of Albacete in the Castilla-La Mancha region further inland.

In the Valencia region, all public sector employees can stay at home today if they have problems getting to work, as Europapress reported. The container port in Valencia wrote on Platform X that it would remain closed until at least 14:00.

The rainy area, which has been widely reported for days, is expected to move on to the north-east today. However, a severe weather warning is still in place for large parts of the country. According to the weather service Aemet, the situation throughout Spain will not ease completely until Thursday.

09.53 a.m.

Here, dozens of cars are swept into the flood waters

Videos on the X platform show how the flood sweeps everything away.

Witness the flood disaster due to overflowing rivers in Valencia - or Valencia. - Spain today 🇪🇸🚨 10-29-2024 #Valencia #spainfloods ❗️❗️@Valencia_WX pic.twitter.com/GFl1GYi1JB
— sustainme.in®️ (@sustainme_in) October 29, 2024

09.51 a.m.

Heavy flooding in Spain - at least 51 people dead

Heavy rain has caused dangerous flooding in large parts of Spain and led to the deaths of several people. At least 51 people have died in the eastern autonomous community of Valencia, according to the authorities. Six people are still missing.

Several dozen people have died in floods following heavy rain in large parts of Spain. In the Mediterranean region of Valencia alone, at least 51 people have died, the Spanish news agency Europapress reported, citing the regional government. Dozens of people are still missing there, as the newspaper "El País" wrote.

Rescue teams are still in action in many places. The situation is particularly bad in the Mediterranean coastal regions of Andalusia, Murcia and Valencia, which are very popular with holidaymakers. Roads, houses and fields were flooded in many places and cars and trees were swept away by the masses of water. In some areas, residents were trapped in their homes and made emergency calls on social media, as reported by the newspaper "El País".

The Prime Minister of Valencia, Carlos Mazón, had called on residents to move to higher ground. People are also missing in the city of Albacete in the neighboring region of Castilla-La Mancha, at least six according to the media.

The rainy area, which has been widely reported for days, is expected to move on to the north-east today.

However, a severe weather warning is still in place for large parts of the country. According to the weather service Aemet, the situation across Spain will not ease completely until Thursday.

Rescue services are on duty after the river in Letur, Albacete, burst its banks due to heavy rainfall.
Picture: Keystone/Víctor Fernandez/Europa Press

Hail as big as golf balls

In addition to heavy rainfall, there was also hail and strong gusts of wind. In the Andalusian coastal town of El Ejido, not far from Almería, where the hail had already hit particularly hard on Tuesday night, fields and hundreds of vehicles were severely damaged. "The hailstones were the size of golf balls," farmer Mercedes González (46) told the newspaper "El País". "It seemed like the end of the world."

In many places in the south and east of Spain, highways and country roads had to be closed. Air and rail traffic was also affected. Classes were canceled at numerous schools and universities. Due to a rock slide, a high-speed AVE train on its way from Málaga to Madrid came off the tracks near the municipality of Álora shortly after the start of the journey with 291 passengers on board. However, there were no injuries, according to the Spanish rail company Renfe.

Calm on the Balearic Islands

The storm with heavy rain had already hit Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands on Monday. In the meantime, the situation there has calmed down again, although some areas - including Mallorca - were still under a yellow storm warning.

In general, heavy rainfall has become more frequent and more intense in most places around the world due to climate change. The reason: the warmer it gets, the more moisture the atmosphere can absorb, which leads to higher rainfall. However, other human factors also play a role in flooding.

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