Flood From Torrential Rain Kills Over 70 In Spain

by Admin

Oct 30, 2024

Destroyed Cars in Valencia caused by the flood. Image via AFP

Spain is experiencing one of its deadliest floods in recent years. Floods from nonstop torrential rain have swept through the southeastern part of the country and killed 72 people with hundreds still missing.

The rain began on Monday which came with a ferocious storm, sweeping through the southeastern part of the country. The storm blew away everything in its path, including cars, trucks, and small buildings.

Confirming the devastating incident is Juanma Moreno, the president of the Andalusian government who was also rescued at the outskirts of the Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga before being rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

The president said he was suffering from hypothermia when he was rescued from his home.

The flood had emergency rescuers deep into the water and at high risk to get people out of the danger zone.

According to the Spain Meteorological Agency, the town of Chiva which is located in the eastern part of Valencia experienced a downpour that was supposed to last for a year under eight hours with an intense storm that submerged the town and made residents flee their homes while other towns in the east and south experienced a month worth of rain in under 24 hours.

According to the Spanish Emergency Rescue Agency, 70 people were killed by the flood in the Valencia region while two people were also killed in the provinces of Castile-La Mancha, where over five other people were declared missing in the municipality of Albacete.

The ongoing rain is the deadliest and most destructive since the 1996 flood that killed more than 80 people in the town of Pyrenees.

The Spanish government has declared three days of mourning following the destructive and deadly flood. 

The Spanish government also dispatched over 1,000 soldiers and were deployed to the worst affected areas in the southeast and the Meteorological Agency has warned of a tornado heading for the northern region of the country.