As the death toll in the wake of flash flooding continues to rise, dozens of looters have been arrested in Spain amid warnings of more extreme weather to come.
The official number of people killed by the catastrophic floods has risen dramatically to 158, marking a sharp increase in the official death toll reported this morning of 95 people.
Spain’s prime minister has urged residents to stay at home as he warned devastation is “not finished” and declared Valencia a “disaster zone”.
EU officials yesterday said the devastation in Spain should serve as a reminder of the self-harming effects of humans' destruction of nature.
Envoy Florika Fink-Hooijer said the "catastrophe" in Spain's Valencia region earlier highlighted the link between biodiversity loss and human-caused climate crisis.
Torrential rain – amounting to a year’s worth in just eight hours in some areas – engulfed cities such as Valencia and Malaga, with many finding themselves “trapped like rats” in their homes and cars, surrounded by rapidly rising floodwaters.
Many affected are preparing for more torrential rain, after Spain’s meteorological service issued a series of fresh warnings – including the most severe kind – on Thursday.
Key points
- Death toll rises to 158
- Looters arrested in wake of flooding
- ‘This is not finished,' warns Spanish PM
- More torrential rain to come this evening
- British man killed in flash floods
What caused the devastating flash flooding in Spain?
Thursday 31 October 2024 23:00
Tara Cobham
As emergency services continue their desperate search for those still missing in Spain, many are questioning what caused the devastating flash flooding which has killed at least 158 people.
Dubbed “the flood of the century”, rainfall on Tuesday saw wide swathes of southern and eastern Spain completely destroyed by torrents of muddy water.
With cars tumbling down streets in Valencia and village roads turned to rivers, the army was drafted in to assist in the ongoing rescue operation.
My colleague Athena Stavrou reports:
Farms ruined by rains as storms hit beyond Valencia
Thursday 31 October 2024 22:00
Tara Cobham
Greenhouses and farms across southern Spain, known as Europe's garden for its exported produce, were also ruined by heavy rains and flooding.
While the most suffering was inflicted on municipalities near the city of Valencia, the storms unleashed their fury over huge swaths of the south and eastern coast of the Iberian peninsula.
Two fatalities were confirmed in the neighboring Castilla La Mancha region and one in southern Andalusia.
The storms spawned a hail storm that punched holes in cars in Andalusia, while homes were left without water as far southwest as Malaga in the region.
Heavy rains continue as Spanish weather agency issues alerts and PM warns ‘stay home’
Thursday 31 October 2024 21:00
Tara Cobham
Heavy rains have continued farther north on Thursday as the Spanish weather agency issued alerts for several counties in Castellón, in the eastern Valencia region, and for Tarragona in Catalonia, as well as southwest Cadiz.
"This storm front is still with us," the prime minister warned. "Stay home and heed the official recommendation and you will help save lives."
Spain flood victim says her entire home was engulfed in less than 10 minutes
Thursday 31 October 2024 20:30
Tara Cobham
A terrified Valencia flood victim has revealed the scale of the devastation after heavy floodwaters engulfed her home in a matter of minutes.
Alba Paredes Borja is from the Spanish town of Alfafar, one of the areas hardest hit by the deadly storm, where local authorities are calling for urgent help in receiving food, water and medical supplies.
“I’m terrified. Everything looks apocalyptic,” she told The Independent. The floods – known as the “cold drop” or DANA phenomena – have claimed 158 lives, including at least three people in the municipality, leaving the city in ruins and cut off from all communication.
Salma Ouaguira reports:
Human-driven climate change fuelling extreme weather
Thursday 31 October 2024 20:00
Tara Cobham
The tragedy is already Spain's worst flood-related disaster in modern history, and meteorologists say human-driven climate change is making such extreme weather events more frequent and destructive.
In 2021, at least 185 people died in heavy flooding in Germany. Prior to that, 209 people died in Romania in 1970 and floods in Portugal in 1967 killed nearly 500 people.
Research group Climate Central said in a report on Thursday that a low-pressure system behind Spain's floods had tapped into an "atmospheric river" carrying excess moisture from the unusually warm Tropical Atlantic.
According to its Climate Shift Index: Ocean, human-caused climate change has made these elevated sea surface temperatures at least 50 to 300 times more likely.
Rescue teams continue to search for ‘dozens and dozens' missing
Thursday 31 October 2024 19:37
Tara Cobham
Rescue teams continue to search for those missing in the devastating flash floods in eastern Spain in what could become Europe’s worst storm-related disaster in over five decades.
The death toll from the extreme weather climbed to 158 on Thursday after a year’s worth of rain fell in eight hours in parts of the Valencia region two days before.
"There's a total of 158 people to which must be added dozens and dozens of missing," Angel Victor Torres, minister in charge of cooperation with Spain's regions, told a press conference.
Flood survivors say regional Spanish officials waited too long to warn them of the danger
Thursday 31 October 2024 18:49
Tara Cobham
Moments after rushing waters burst through the door to her home, Mari Carmen Pérez received a text message alert from regional Spanish authorities warning her of the possibility of flash floods.
By the time Pérez’s phone buzzed, the water has already gushed into her kitchen, living room and bathroom, forcing her and her family to flee upstairs.
“They didn’t have any idea of what was going on,” Pérez, a 56-year-old cleaner, said Thursday by phone from Barrio de la Torre in Valencia. “Everything is ruined. The people here, we have never seen anything like this.”
Read more here:
‘Cold drop’ and flood defences: What caused the devastating flash flooding in Spain?
Thursday 31 October 2024 17:33
Athena Stavrou
As emergency services continue their desperate search for those still missing in Spain, many are questioning what caused the devastating flash flooding which has killed at least 158 people.
Dubbed “the flood of the century”, rainfall on Tuesday saw wide swathes of southern and eastern Spain completely destroyed by torrents of muddy water.
The region is known to be particularly vulnerable to torrential autumn downpours, caused by a weather phenomenon known as the “cold drop” or DANA.
However, the destructive weather system is believed to be worsening in the wake of climate change, accumulating in this week’s flash flooding being the worst the region has seen in three decades.
From weather phenomena to flood defences: here is what may have accelerated Spain’s deadly flash floods:
Government advice on travel to Spain
Thursday 31 October 2024 17:04
Athena Stavrou
As of 31 October the UK’s Foreign Office (FCDO) travel advice said that journeys may be affected due to severe weather and flooding affecting many areas of southern and eastern Spain, particularly in the Valencia region and Castilla La Mancha.
The FCDO advises checking the latest weather warnings from Spain’s meteorological office before travelling and following the instructions from local authorities.
In terms of the Foreign Office’s general advice about travelling to a destination that has been impacted by flooding, they warn that the flood waters can cause devastation and loss of life. After a flood, they also warn that there is an increased risk of water-borne diseases and transport infrastructure can be severely impacted.
The European Meteorological Services advises to only travel if a journey is essential to the southern and northern coast of Castellón, as well as the northern interior of Castellón.
“Extreme or catastrophic damages to people and properties may occur, especially to those vulnerable or in exposed areas,” they wrote.
Spain floods mapped: Where are weather alerts in force as death toll hits 158?
Thursday 31 October 2024 16:38
Athena Stavrou
Weather warnings are in force across swathes of Spain as further storms approach on the heels of devastating flooding which has claimed at least 158 lives – making it the country’s worst natural disaster in living memory.
Prime minister Pedro Sanchez has warned that the devastation caused by flash flooding is “not finished” as he declared Valencia a “disaster zone” on Thursday. Urging residents to remain in their homes, he said: “Right now the most important thing is to safeguard as many lives as possible.”
Cities such as Valencia and Malaga were inundated this week after nearly a year’s worth of rain – close to half a metre – fell in just eight hours in some areas, leaving residents “trapped like rats” in homes and cars, as described by one desperate local mayor recalling the chaos.
Andy Gregory reports:
Police arrest 39 for looting in wake of floods
Thursday 31 October 2024 16:13
Athena Stavrou
Spanish police have arrested 39 people for looting shops in the wake of flash flooding.
Thieves took advantage of the chaos sparked by the deadly flooding, with Spain’s national police sharing shocking images of a smashed jewellery store window alongside a large amount of goods taken by looters.
La @policia ha detenido esta noche a 39 personas en el marco de un dispositivo especial de prevención de la delincuencia puesto en marcha en torno a las zonas comerciales más afectadas por la #DANA
— Policía Nacional (@policia) October 31, 2024
➡️Se han recuperado multitud de efectos sustraídos pic.twitter.com/biAcSh5STU
Watch: 'Terrified' Valencia flood victim shows scale of devastation
Thursday 31 October 2024 15:35
Athena Stavrou
Death toll rises again
Thursday 31 October 2024 15:15
Athena Stavrou
The death toll in eastern Spain has risen again, as emergency workers continue their desperate search for survivors.
At least 158 people have been killed by the flash flooding - a sharp increase in the 95 people confirmed dead this morning.
155 of those deaths were confirmed in the hardest-hit region of Valencia.
‘I feel helpless,’ says woman searching for lost relative in Valencia floods
Thursday 31 October 2024 14:52
Salma Ouaguira
A woman is still searching for her lost relative amid the destroyed houses and flooded streets of Valencia.
As the waters recede, Marta Rodríguez Múria and her family hold onto hope that her cousin David can be rescued alive. The 32-year-old told The Independent: “The last we heard, he was driving to work.
“His car was found abandoned between Buñol and Chiva, but he’s vanished.”
Just moments before the storm struck, her cousin reached out to her aunt, calling for help as he was caught in the storm’s fury. They haven’t heard anything since.
She added: “We don’t know if he’s safe or if the water swept him away. My aunt is inconsolable. We’re all heartbroken, trapped in this nightmare.”
In Torrente, where she lives, people have been cut off from the outside world. Roads are destroyed, trains are canceled, and supermarkets are filled with panic buyers.
She added: “I’m left without food or water, and I can’t even pay for supplies because all the systems are down.
“We’re just waiting for a glimmer of news, something that tells us he’s safe. At this point, we just want to hear something—good or bad.”
Marta claimed people were not warned about the severe weather until it was “too late.”
She said: “I feel powerless. There should have been better warnings. People were sent to work as if there was no danger coming. The material damage is one thing, but many lives could have been spared.”
Death toll soars to 140
Thursday 31 October 2024 14:27
Athena Stavrou
The official death toll has risen dramatically to 140, Spain’s state-run news agency EFE has said.
The new figure is a sharp rise from the previous number of 95, reported this morning.
More from Spanish PM’s speech earlier
Thursday 31 October 2024 14:23
Athena Stavrou
Spain’s prime minister spoke earlier today as he visited some of the areas worst affected by this week’s flash floods.
He urged residents to stay vigilant as he warned the effects of flash floding are “not finished”
Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also declared Valencia as a disaster zone and raised the official crisis level to level two.
He told people affected by the flooding to stay at home, as many in the region brace themselves for more extreme weather today.
“We will not abandon the people of Valencia,” he said. “We will be here with you all the time necessary and deploying all resources necessary. Our priority, obviously, right now is to find victims, to find missing persons. Also, so that friends or family can really address the anxiety that families, victims and missing persons are going through.”
Climate crisis ‘worsened all 10 deadliest weather events’
Thursday 31 October 2024 14:03
Athena Stavrou
Climate change made the 10 deadliest extreme weather events over the past two decades worse, contributing to the deaths of more than 570,000 people, scientists have said.
Climate scientists said the finding “underscores how dangerous extreme weather events have already become” with just 1.3C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.
It also highlights the urgency of cutting the greenhouse gas emissions driving rising temperatures and more extreme weather, they said, as the world is currently on track for 3C of warming by the end of the century – a level recently described by UN chief Antonio Guterres as “catastrophic”.
More here.
Watch: Driver clings to car roof as water surges through roads
Thursday 31 October 2024 13:45
Athena Stavrou
Lammy sends condolences
Thursday 31 October 2024 13:27
Athena Stavrou
David Lammy has sent his condolences to Spain on behald of the UK government.
The foreign secretary wrote on X: “The UK government expresses its heartfelt condolences to those affected by the tragic floods across Spain - our thoughts are with those that have lost their lives, their families and all those affected.”
He added that he offered the UK’s full support to his counterpart, José Manuel Albares.
The UK government expresses its heartfelt condolences to those affected by the tragic floods across Spain - our thoughts are with those that have lost their lives, their families and all those affected.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) October 31, 2024
I have offered the UK's full support to my friend @jmalbares.
What caused deadly floods in Spain?
Thursday 31 October 2024 13:08
Athena Stavrou
As emergency services continue their desperate search for those still missing in Spain, many are questioning what caused the devastating flash flooding which has killed at least 95 people.
The region is known to see be particularly vulnerable torrential autumn downpours, caused by a weather phenomenon known as the “cold drop” or DANA.
However, the destructive weather system is believed to be worsening in the wake of climate change, accumulating in this week’s flash flooding being the worst the region has seen in three decades.
When cold air blows over warm Mediterranean waters it causes hotter air to rise quickly and form dense, water-laden clouds that can remain over the same area for many hours, raising their destructive potential.
Eastern and Southern Spain are particularly susceptible to the phenomenon due to its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea
People shop in mud-covered supermarket in Valencia
Thursday 31 October 2024 12:26
Athena Stavrou
‘This is not finished’, warns PM
Thursday 31 October 2024 11:30
Athena Stavrou
Spain’s prime minister has urged residents to stay vigilant as he warned the effects of flash floding are “not finished”
Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also declared Valencia as a disaster zone and raised the official crisis level to level two.
He told people affected by the flooding to stay at home, as many in the region brace themselves for more extreme weather today.
“The most important thing is that I know Spanish people are aware that this phenomenon has not finished,” he said.
“The Spanish weather agency has still raised alerts in Valencia and elsewhere around Spain. And so I urge everybody else to heed those recommendations and to heed the advice of, the law enforcement and protection authorities. All of those who have been affected, please stay at home.”
Bodies still trapped in cars, minister says
Thursday 31 October 2024 11:26
Athena Stavrou
Emergency services are continuing to frantically search for any survivors in eastern and southern Spain following deadly flash flooding across the region.
Shocking images have emerged of piled up vehicles, tumbled down by muddy water in worst-hit regions of Valencia.
Spain’s transport minister, Oscar Puente, told media that rescue workers will be facing the task of recovering some bodies from these vehicles.
“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” he said.
Valencia to be declared a disaster zone - PM
Thursday 31 October 2024 11:18
Athena Stavrou
Spain’s prime minister has announced that Valencia is to be declared a disaster zone following the deadly flash flooding that has devastated the area since Tuesday.
Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also said the official crisis level has been raised to level two.
Spanish farmers devastated by flood damage
Thursday 31 October 2024 10:19
Athena Stavrou
Spanish farmers have been devastated by the flash flooding, with crops wiped out and livestock killed.
Utiel residents Javier Iranzo, 47, and Ana Carmen Fernandez, 48, told Reuters the flooding had completely wrecked their pig farm, with 50 of their animals having drowned.
They estimated hundreds of thousands of euros worth of damages and, despite government pledges of help, said they worried about whether they would receive state aid to help rebuild.
EU fly flags half mast following tragedy
Thursday 31 October 2024 10:14
Athena Stavrou
The European Commission is flying its flags half mast today in solidarity with the lives lost in Spain’s flash flooding.
A picture of the EU flags outside the headquarters Brussels was shared on X/Twitter
“The European flags in front of our headquarters in Brussels are at half-mast. Our thoughts are with the victims of the floods in Spain, their families and the rescue teams. The floods in Spain are not only a national tragedy. It’s also a European one.”
The European flags in front of our headquarters in Brussels are at half-mast.
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) October 31, 2024
Our thoughts are with the victims of the floods in Spain, their families and the rescue teams.
The floods in Spain are not only a national tragedy. It’s also a European one. pic.twitter.com/52sozgWrhM
Severe weather warning issued
Thursday 31 October 2024 09:29
Athena Stavrou
Severe weather warnings have been issued by Spain’s state meteorological service Aemet for Thursday.
Calm weather returned on Thursday to the hardest-hit areas around the city of Valencia, Spain’s third-largest, but the AEMET state weather agency issued its highest level of alert for the province of Castellon.
Further north in the Catalonia region, an amber alert was issued for the city of Tarragona.
It warned: “Extreme danger! Do not travel in the area unless absolutely necessary!”
⚠️ AVISO ROJO | Lluvias muy intensas en el norte de la provincia de Castellón: pueden acumularse más de 180 l/m².
— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) October 31, 2024
¡Peligro extremo! ¡No viaje por la zona salvo que sea estrictamente necesario!
En zonas próximas de Cataluña y Comunitat Valencian continúa el aviso naranja. pic.twitter.com/B9aYnKTH3Y
Spanish president to visit Valencia today
Thursday 31 October 2024 09:13
Athena Stavrou
Spain’s president is set to visit some of the worst affected areas of Valencia on Thursday.
President Pedro Sanchez will be seeing the devastating damage first hand having already spoken with the Carlos Mazon and Emiliano García-Page, the presidents of the Valencia Community and Castilla-La Mancha.
Three days of mourning to begin today
Thursday 31 October 2024 09:00
Athena Stavrou
Today (Thursday) marks the first official day of national mourning in Spain, after at least 95 people were killed by flash flooding.
Three days of mourning were declared by the Spanish government in the wake of the tragedy.
During an official mourning period, public events are often postponed or cancelled out of respect and flags fly at half mast.
Shocking images of cars strewn across motorway in flood aftermath
Thursday 31 October 2024 08:46
Athena Stavrou
More rain expected to hit worst-affected areas
Thursday 31 October 2024 08:27
Athena Stavrou
As emergency sevices continue to search for the dozens of people still missing in the devastating flash floods, more rain has been forecast for some of the worst-affected areas.
Spain’s state meteorological service Aemet has issued warnings yellow and orange warnings for much of eastern Spain, with up to 100mm of rain expected to fall within 12 hours in areas north of Valencia.
Valencia itself is also facing a yellow weather warning, with 20mm of rain expected to fall in one hour on Thursday.
The surrounding areas of Castello de la Plana, Vinaros, Morella and Tortosa are all subject to more severe orange weather warnings.
In pics: Aftermath of the flooding in Spain
Thursday 31 October 2024 08:00
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Death toll expected to rise as still ‘many missing people'
Thursday 31 October 2024 07:47
Athena Stavrou
At least 95 people have been confirmed dead since flash floods devestated eastern Spain, with more expected to come.
Emergency services are continuing to search for the dozens of people still missing in the regions affected, with more rain on the way.
Government minister Angel Victor Torres told Spanish broadcaster TVE that the death toll is likely to rise because “there are many missing people”.
Climate crisis ‘worsened all 10 deadliest weather events'
Thursday 31 October 2024 07:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Climate change made the 10 deadliest extreme weather events over the past two decades worse, contributing to the deaths of more than 570,000 people, scientists have said.
Climate scientists said the finding “underscores how dangerous extreme weather events have already become” with just 1.3C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.
It also highlights the urgency of cutting the greenhouse gas emissions driving rising temperatures and more extreme weather, they said, as the world is currently on track for 3C of warming by the end of the century – a level recently described by UN chief Antonio Guterres as “catastrophic”.
More here.
PINNED: What we know so far
Thursday 31 October 2024 07:29
Athena Stavrou
As rescue workers continue trying to recover the dozens of people still missing, here is what we know so far:
- At least 158 people have been killed after eastern Spain was hit by flash floods.
- Ministers have warned that the death toll is likely to rise as there are “many missing people”.
- More severe weather warnings have been issued in the region for today.
- A 71-year-old British man is among the dead.
- The rainstorms started on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday which triggered the devastating flooding.
- More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response unit have been deployed to the most devastated areas.
- The main areas affected are the eastern province of Valencia and neighbouring regions.
Tourists in Spain warned of heavy rain, lightning and hail
Thursday 31 October 2024 06:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Half-term holidaymakers have been warned by the Met Office to expect heavy rain in Spain’s east coast tourist destinations this week.
The national meteorological service said that a risk of “significant flash flooding”, “frequent lightning” and “large hail” will continue through to the end of the week following heavy showers and thunderstorms.
The Met Office said: “Torrential rain and thunderstorms could bring flash flooding, landslides and significant disruption to parts of eastern Spain this week.
“A further 250-350mm of rain is possible by the weekend in a few places - the average for the whole of October is closer to 50-100mm!”
More here.
Full report: More than 90 dead after torrential rain brings flash flooding to Spain
Thursday 31 October 2024 06:00
Alex Croft
Flash floods turned streets into rivers, destroyed homes, and killed at least 95 people in Spain’s worst natural disaster in recent memory.
Torrential rainstorms hit southern and eastern parts of the country, including the Costa del Sol region, where the city of Malaga is located, and Valencia in the east.
Rescuers waded through mud-coloured water while cars and vans appeared stranded. More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units have been deployed to the worst-hit areas.
Spainish town records one year’s worth of rain in hours
Thursday 31 October 2024 05:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The town of Chiva, west of Valencia province, recorded 491 mm of rain in just eight hours, almost equalling a year’s worth, according to Spain’s weather service.
Flash floods in Spain turned village streets into rivers, ruined homes, disrupted transportation and killed at least 95 people in the worst natural disaster to hit the country in decades.
Nearly 155,000 homes were without electricity in Valencia, according to the energy minister.“All of Spain weeps with all of you... We won’t abandon you,” prime minister Pedro Sanchez told victims and their families in a televised address.
The disaster could not be considered over and “we will deploy all the necessary resources for as long as necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy,” he added.
ICYMI: British man, 71, killed in floods
Thursday 31 October 2024 05:04
Alex Croft
A 71-year-old British man has been confirmed as one of the casualties of the flash floods.
President of the Andalusian government, Juanma Morena, said the man had died in hospital hours after being rescued from his home on the outskirts of Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga.
He added that he was suffering from hypothermia and died after suffering several cardiac arrests.
⚫Lamentamos confirmar que un británico de 71 años ha fallecido en el hospital horas después de ser rescatado de su casa a las afueras de Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga. Presentaba hipotermia y falleció tras sufrir varias paradas cardiorrespiratorias.
— Juanma Moreno (@JuanMa_Moreno) October 30, 2024
Un abrazo para su familia.
Spain’s flooding another nasty hit in a fall where climate extremes just keep coming
Thursday 31 October 2024 04:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Even for an era of more extreme weather, this autumn has seemingly shifted into yet another gear, especially in a rain-weary Europe where massive and deadly flooding in Spain‘s Valencia region is the latest incarnation.
At least 95 people have been killed in flooding that sent cars piling up like flotsam on the beach, while an ocean away much of the United States bakes through a nearly rain-free October that has created a flash drought.
Scientists trying to explain what’s happening, especially with a spate of deadly European downpours, see two likely connections to human-caused climate change. One is that warmer air holds and then dumps more rain. The other is possible changes in the jet stream — the river of air above land that moves weather systems across the globe — that spawn extreme weather.
More here.
Spain floods: Driver clings to car roof as water surges through roads
Thursday 31 October 2024 04:10
Alex Croft
Death toll expected to rise in Spain
Thursday 31 October 2024 03:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Spanish authorities fear the death toll will rise with other regions of Spain yet to report victims and search efforts continuing in hard-to-reach places.
“We are facing a very difficult situation,” minister of territory policies Angel Víctor Torres said.
“The fact that we can’t give a number of the missing persons indicates the magnitude of the tragedy.”
Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years. Nothing, however, compared to the devastation over the last two days, which recalls floods in Germany and Belgium in 2021 in which 230 people were killed.
Rescue personnel and more than 1,100 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to affected areas. Spain’s central government set up a crisis committee to coordinate rescue efforts.
Spanish government declares three days of mourning
Thursday 31 October 2024 03:16
Alex Croft
It’s was confirmed on Wednesday by the Spanish government that there will be three days of mourning for the victims of the flash floods.
At least 95 people have died in the extreme weather, which hit the Valencia and Castilla La Mancha regions on Tuesday.
Ángel Víctor Torres, the minister responsible for territorial policy, told reporters that the three days of mourning will begin on Thursday.
Valencia worst hit with 92 recorded deaths
Thursday 31 October 2024 03:07
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Valencia in eastern Spain is one of the worst-hit provinces with at least 92 deaths recorded till last night.
“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” Ricardo Gabaldin, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE. He said six residents perished and more are missing.
“We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to 3m,” he said.
The flooding in Spain is the worst since 1973, when at least 150 people died. The 1957 storm dumped around 250 mm of rain, but this week’s had reports of more than 490 mm in just eight hours.
Portugal expresses ‘greatest regret'
Thursday 31 October 2024 02:31
Alex Croft
Portugese prime minister Luis Montenegro expressed his “greatest regret” following the devastating floods.
“The Portuguese government expresses its greatest regret at the high number of victims of the floods recorded in Spain, shows solidarity with all the Spanish people and the @desdelamoncloa [Government of Spain] and makes itself available for all necessary help,” he wrote in a post on X.
O governo português expressa o maior pesar pelo elevado número de vítimas das inundações registados em Espanha, mostra solidariedade a todo o povo espanhol e ao @desdelamoncloa e disponibiliza-se para toda a ajuda necessária. @sanchezcastejon
— Luís Montenegro (@LMontenegropm) October 30, 2024
Flood leaves a trail of carnage along roads in Valencia
Thursday 31 October 2024 01:42
Alex Croft
The severely damaged cars and the positions they were discovered on Wednesday morning reflect the power of the flooding in Valencia on Tuesday.
As residents start to clean up the damage, these images show the task they have ahead.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has promised those impacted that they will get the full support of the country as they look to rebuild their communities.
