Madrid, Oct 30 (EFE).- Devastating flooding in Spain has left scores of people dead and several others missing, wreaking havoc across the regions of Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, authorities said on Wednesday.
With torrential rains predicted to impact Barcelona next, the situation remains dire as communities in the affected Spanish regions grapple with extensive damage and rising waters from this unprecedented flooding.
Authorities have calculated 64 deaths even as the toll is feared might go up.
At least 62 victims have been confirmed in Valencia, the hardest-hit area, with an unspecified number of people reported missing.
In Castilla-La Mancha, authorities have recovered two bodies and are searching for at least five missing persons.
The flooding has trapped dozens in various towns across Valencia, where residents are enduring long power outages.
Social media videos showed floodwaters sweeping cars with people clinging to trees for safety.
In response to the crisis, local authorities have suspended classes in several municipalities, including parts of the Valencian capital.
Road transport has ground to a halt due to the closure of multiple railway lines, prompting the diversion of train services and the cancellation of several flights at Valencia airport.
The Ministry of Transport announced the suspension of Cercanías services in Valencia until weather conditions improve, affecting both the Madrid-Valencia line and the Mediterranean Corridor.
In what has been described as the worst cold snap of the century by the state meteorological agency (Aemet), rising rivers and relentless flooding have left many localities, especially in Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Andalusia, in ruins.
On Tuesday, Valencia recorded an astonishing 445.4 liters of rainfall per square meter, the highest in 24 hours since September 11, 1966, when 520 liters fell in Tavernes de la Val.
In the wake of the disaster, King Felipe urged caution and conveyed his condolences for the lives lost, expressing solidarity with the victims and the communities affected.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also lamented the human toll of the floods, saying several towns were flooded.
“All of Spain weeps with all of you. Our absolute priority is to help you… We won’t abandon you,” Sanchez said in a televised address, addressing the affected people.
“Our priority is to help you. We are putting all the resources necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy. For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain.”
The European Union expressed solidarity with Spain, with President Ursula von der Leyen stating that “Europe is ready to help.”
President von der Leyen said the bloc had activated the Copernicus satellite system to help coordinate rescue teams amid the devastating flooding.
Aemet has issued warnings of further heavy rains and storms across the northern half of the country on Wednesday, expected to sweep from south to north in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the regional government of Catalonia has cautioned about severe weather conditions in the province of Barcelona, predicting gusts of wind exceeding 90 kilometers per hour and hail larger than two centimeters in diameter. EFE
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