At least people 72 killed in Spanish flash floods in Valencia and Seville in what King Felipe VI of Spain has described as tragic speaks of “enormous destruction” to infrastructure and warns there is difficulty accessing some area.
Earlier, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised residents in affected areas “we won’t abandon you” – but warned this “devastating episode is not over” and has promised to rebuild infrastructure that has been destroyed.
Flash floods in Valencia
Footage of the flash floods in Valencia uploaded to social media shows cars piled on roads – where you can see a street in the Sedavi area of Valencia looking like scrap yard.
Videos of torrents of water sweeping away cars and people circulated rapidly through messaging apps and social media. In this instance these clips also played a crucial role in locating those trapped, assisting the efforts of the security forces.
More destruction to come from Spanish flash floods
The next 24 hours are critical for the Spaniards as More destruction to come from Spanish flash floods. The severe rains that have battered Valencia will recede today, the agency says, though parts of the coastal region – home to more than five million people – remain under alert.
The storm is heading north, with warnings now in place for the north-eastern region of Catalonia. And a weather warning alert has been issued for the region.
The death toll has risen to 72 people in Spain
The death toll has risen to 72 people in Spain, according to local media and officials, rising from the 62 confirmed deaths we reported earlier.
Spain‘s leading newspaper El País says 70 are dead in Valencia, citing “government sources”, and the leader of neighbouring Castilla-La Mancha region has reported two deaths.
Spain is prepared for rain but no European country is prepared for such devastating flash flooding and the national guard has been engaged to support the relief work.
Devastating video on X shows the rescue efforts
A woman and her dog are being rescued by Spanish firemen with flood water has risen as high as the chest.
Ángel Víctor Torres, minister for territorial policy, says the government is unable to provide official data on how many people are missing.
Rescue operations are ongoing after more than a year’s worth of rain fell in just eight hours, causing flash floods in part of south-eastern Spain.