Spain: severe storm continues as floods toll climbs to 205

Madrid/Valencia, Nov 1 (EFE).- A storm that has caused torrential downpours and deadly floods in Spain this week continued to affect the Iberian country on Friday.

The severe rains, which began Tuesday, caused floods that have killed at least 205 people, the vast majority (202) in Valencia. Two people died in the southern region of Andalusia, and one other died in Castile-La Mancha.

The disaster is one of the worst in Spain’s history.

RELIEF EFFORTS CONTINUE

Emergency services – backed up to 500 soldiers from the army, air force and navy – were still searching for survivors and missing people, especially in the eastern region.

Rescue workers were also trying to reopen roads that have been closed off to help distribute much-needed aid to affected areas.

Several towns have been without water, power or phone service since the storm struck on Tuesday.

With many roads still unusable, local residents have been delivering food, buckets, mops, shovels and carts loaded to the brim to affected people on foot, heeding the call from authorities to stay off the roads so as not to impede relief efforts.

More than 100 roads are still cut off in Valencia, Andalusia and Castile-La Mancha, including some sections of main roads and motorways.

In Letur (Albacete), one of the worst-hit towns, 200 people from emergency services and volunteers – helped by ten dogs from the Military Emergency Unit and the Civil Guard – were still searching Friday for five missing people in the old part of the town.

The High Speed rail service between Madrid and Valencia is cut off. The government expects it to resume operations in two weeks, as several tunnels have suffered significant damage.

From some of the most affected municipalities, farmers and agricultural workers have been urged to help with tractors, cranes, dump trucks and generators. Some farmers’ organizations have asked their associates to take their tractors to the streets to help move cars that have accumulated on the roads and streets after being swept up by the torrents of water.

The tractors are also helping clear the mud and to facilitate the work being done by the emergency services and thousands of volunteers.

‘EMERGENCY HAS NOT ENDED’

Five regions remained on high alert Friday, including Andalusia in the south, where a red alert for “extreme risk” was in effect for the province of Huelva.

Orange alerts – the second highest level – were in effect for large parts of Andalusia, as well as the eastern regions of Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.

Spain’s meteorology agency warned Friday that the adverse weather conditions had not subsided, and urged people to avoid traveling. “The weather emergency has not ended,” Aemet said.

The country is celebrating All Saints Day on Friday, a long weekend that traditionally sees millions of people traveling home for the holiday.

Heavy rainfall in the east and northeast of Spain is expected to persist throughout the day, as officials warned of more flooding. The rains were forecast to continue throughout the weekend.

PM PRAISES PUBLIC RESPONSE

In a post on X, Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez, who was visiting Valencia and the surrounding areas on Thursday and Friday, thanked the public servants and thousands of volunteers who have responded to the emergency.

He said these people “are an example of solidarity and unlimited dedication to Spanish society.”

Sanchez reiterated that his government would provide “as much help as it takes, for as long as it takes.” EFE

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