Devastating Spanish floods kill at least 95
Flash floods in eastern Spain have killed at least 95 people, sweeping away cars, turning village streets into rivers, and disrupting rail lines and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the southern European nation in recent history after torrential rain on October 29 according to the Associated Press.
Rainstorms that started on October 29 have caused flooding across southern and eastern Spain, stretching from Malaga to Valencia with emergency services in the east region of Valencia confirming a death toll of 92 people on October 30. A further two casualties were reported in the neighbouring Castilla La Mancha region, while southern Andalusia reported one death.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said dozens of towns had been affected by the flooding while the federal government declared three days of national mourning for the dead, starting on October 31.
“For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain,” Sánchez said in a televised address. Our priority is to help you, and we are putting all the resources necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy.”
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Over 1,100 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to the devastated areas with rescue services rushing eastwards from other parts of Spain. The central government has set up a crisis committee to help coordinate rescue efforts.
Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years. Nothing, however, compared to the devastation over the last two days, when up to 500mm, an entire year’s worth of rain, fell in just over 24 hours.
The Associated Press
