Spain floods latest: Fresh flooding fears as red rain alert issued and residents told to brace for more deaths
Death toll continues to rise after worst flash floods in three decades sweeps across Spanish region of Valencia
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Your support makes all the difference.Fresh red weather warnings for rain have prompted fears of further flooding in Spain on Friday, as rescue teams continue their desperate search for people still missing.
The number of people confirmed dead rose from 95 to at least 158 on Thursday, with more expected to come as emergency services begin their third day of searching.
Spain’s state weather agency, Aemet, has issued the most severe kind of weather alert in the south west of the country as the province of Huelva was hit by torrential rain.
Those hit hardest by the flash flooding in eastern Spain are also expecting more rain, as yellow and amber weather warnings remain in place.
The country is in its second day of an official three-day national mourning, with flags at half-mast on official buildings.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez urged residents to stay at home as he warned devastation is “not finished” on Thursday and declared the worst impacted province of Valencia a “disaster zone”.
Early action can mitigate flood destruction, UN climate agency says
Effective flood warning systems could help to avoid the level of destruction that has occurred in the Valencia region of Spain this week, the World Meteorological Organization said on Friday.
“We do need to ensure that the early warnings reach those who need them,” WMO official Clare Nullis told a regular UN briefing. “We need to ensure that early warnings lead to informed early action.”
Nullis declined to comment on whether Madrid had acted too slowly in warning residents about the floods, saying only that it was something that “Spanish authorities need to examine”.
Hundreds of volunteers go to help victims
Hundreds of volunteers have been pictured walking towards the La Torre neighborhood to help people affected by the flash flooding.
Everything we know about Spain’s ‘catastrophic’ floods as images reveal devastation
At least 158 people are dead after Spain was struck by the worst floods in recent memory that submerged towns, toppled bridges and cut entire communities off from the outside world.
The deadly floods left cars piled up like toys in streets, swallowed homes, and covered entire neighbourhoods in sludge and debris.
Muddy rivers swept away everything in their path – roads, houses and key infrastructure.
Thousands of people are still facing power and water cuts and shortages of basic goods, especially in the eastern region, the worst affected.
Here’s all we know about the devastating floods, the causes, and the scale of the impact.
Everything we know about Spain’s ‘catastrophic’ floods that killed 158
Floods left cars piled up like toys in streets, swallowed homes, and covered entire neighbourhoods in sludge as authorities report 158 fatalities
Entire homes ‘disappeared’, says mayor
Entire homes in the areas worst-affected by flash flooding have “disappeared”, a mayor of a small town in Valencia has said.
Chiva Mayor, Amparo Fort, told local media this morning that citizens needed more financial aid from the government as the full extent of the damage comes to light.
“Entire houses have disappeared,” she said. “We don’t know if they are with or without people.”
She added: “We continue to ask for food and water. We need milk, mashed food for babies and the elderly.”
Expat teacher in Spain still trapped after flood waters surround town and food runs out
An expat teacher living south of Valencia in Spain says he is unable to leave his town due to being “surrounded by water” following flash flooding in the region.
John Fahy, 55, who lives in a seaside town called Cullera, also reported there being no food in the supermarkets, with no new supplies expected for a while.
“The army was only sent in two, three hours ago, because now they’re finding more bodies in garages,” Mr Fahy, from Dublin, said.
“We can’t leave our town because it’s flooded all around. There’s no-one in the shops in Cullera because there’s no food and there won’t be for a while.”
Weather warnings in place today
There are a number of weather warnings in place in the areas hit by flash flooding - as well as more severe alerts in other parts of Spain.
In the province of Valencia - which saw the worst impacts of the flooding - there are several yellow and amber weather warnings in place. This means those most affected by the floods are expecting even more rain.
In the south west of the country a red weather alert has been put in place int the province of Huelva.
Pictures: Spain wakes up to another day of desperate searching
Everything we know on Friday morning
As Spanish rescue workers continue their search for those still missing in the worst flooding disaster the country has seen in modern history, here is what we know on Friday morning:
- The official death toll in now 158 - will 155 of those coming from the worst-hit province of Valencia.
- The death toll is expected to rise as an unkown number of people remain missing.
- Spain is in its second day of a three-day national mourning period. Flags are flying half mast across the country and a minute of silence was held on Thursday.
- Valencia has been declared a disaster zone.
Anger grows over authorities’ handling of crisis
As the shock dissipated, anger grew over the authorities' handling of the crisis, both for their late warnings of the looming floods and the chaotic relief response.
Many survivors had to walk long distances in sticky mud to find food and water. Most of their cars had been destroyed and the mud, destruction and debris left by the storm made some roads unpassable. Some pushed shopping carts along sodden streets while others carried their children to keep them out of the muck.
Some 150,000 people in Valencia were without electricity on Wednesday, but roughly half had power by Thursday.
An unknown number did not have running water and were relying on whatever bottled water they could find.
The region remained partly isolated with several roads cut off and train lines interrupted, including the high-speed service to Madrid. Officials said it would take two to three weeks to repair that damaged line.
And with emergency personnel focused on recovering the dead, survivors were left to find basic supplies and clean up the mess. Volunteers joined locals in moving wrecked vehicles, removing junk and sweeping mud.
With local services clearly overwhelmed, Valencia regional President Carlos Mazon on Thursday asked if Spain's army could assist with distributing basic goods to the population. The government in Madrid responded by promising to send in 500 more soldiers, more national police and Civil Guards.
In pics: Valencia before and after the devastating floods
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