“Devastating Floods in Spain: Death Toll Rises to 95 in Worst Natural Disaster”
Flash floods in Spain have caused widespread devastation, with at least 95 people reported dead in the worst natural disaster to hit the country in recent memory. The rainstorms that started on Tuesday and continued into Wednesday led to flooding across southern and eastern Spain, affecting regions from Malaga to Valencia.
The emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed a death toll of 92 people, with two additional casualties reported in the neighboring Castilla La Mancha region and one in southern Andalusia. The town of Utiel in Valencia was particularly hard hit, with the mayor reporting six residents dead and more missing.
Rescue efforts have been underway, with helicopters used to lift people from their homes and rubber boats deployed to reach stranded drivers. Spain’s government has declared three days of mourning starting Thursday, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressing condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
The floods have caused significant damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, with thick layers of mud and debris making some streets unrecognizable. The region of Valencia, known for its beaches and citrus orchards, experienced rainfall in just eight hours that exceeded the total for the previous 20 months.
The extreme weather events have been linked to climate change, with scientists warning of increased episodes of extreme weather in the future. The storms also unleashed a rare tornado and a hailstorm that caused damage to cars and greenhouses. Transportation has been severely affected, with train services interrupted and flights canceled.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by downed power lines and power outages, with regional emergency services responding to thousands of calls for help. The European Commission has pledged to assist in coordinating rescue teams using satellite monitoring systems.
As the search for missing persons continues and the extent of the damage becomes clearer, Spain faces a long road to recovery from this devastating natural disaster.