At least 64 people have died in flash floods that swept through Spain’s eastern region of Valencia after torrential rain, authorities have said.
Heavy storms on Tuesday triggered floods across parts of southern and eastern Spain. Footage shared on social media showed vehicles being swept away down streets by the mud-coloured water.
More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to affected areas and the central government set up a crisis committee to help coordinate rescue efforts.
Emergency services in Valencia urged citizens to avoid any kind of road travel and to follow further updates from official sources.
At least 62 people have died in the floods, Valencia’s regional government said in a statement on Wednesday. Another two deaths were reported in the neighbouring Castilla La Mancha region.
Carlos Mazon, the regional leader of Valencia, told a news conference that some people remained isolated in inaccessible locations.
“If [emergency services] have not arrived, it’s not due to a lack of means or predisposition, but a problem of access,” Mazon said, adding that reaching certain areas was “absolutely impossible”.
The elderly were also the most vulnerable. National broadcaster RTVE showed a video of a nursing home with several seniors in chairs and wheelchairs with waters rising over their knees as staff struggled to ensure their safety.
Spain will observe three days of mourning from Thursday, Angel Victor Torres, minister for territorial policy and democratic memory has announced.
Credit: aljazeera.com
