31st October 2024 – (Valencia) The number of confirmed fatalities from the recent catastrophic flooding in eastern and southern Spain has risen to at least 72, according to government sources cited by El País. Rescue operations are ongoing, but several individuals remain unaccounted for as emergency services navigate the challenges posed by downed power lines, collapsed phone networks, and impassable roads.
In the wake of torrential rains and hailstorms, various regions have experienced devastating floods, with cars swept through village streets and rail services disrupted. The Valencia region has reported 70 deaths, while an additional two fatalities have been confirmed in neighbouring Castilla-La Mancha.
As rescue efforts continue, officials have acknowledged the difficulty in determining the exact number of missing persons. Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, stated at a press conference that it is “impossible” to provide a definitive death toll at this stage, as some individuals remain stranded in hard-to-reach areas.
The situation has prompted Spain’s state weather agency to elevate the alert level for western Andalusia to red, signalling an “extreme” risk of further intense rainfall. Previously, an amber alert had been issued for the region around Jerez. Social media videos depict residents struggling through streets inundated with rushing, mud-coloured water.
Emergency services are diligently working through the debris in affected municipalities, including Letur and La Hoz de la Vieja, as the country grapples with what has been described as one of the worst natural disasters in recent decades.
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