At least 51 confirmed dead in Spain flash floods - UPDATED
At least 51 people have died in Spain's eastern region of Valencia due to flash floods caused by torrential rains, according to a spokesperson for the regional government.
"We can confirm that some bodies have already been found," Carlos Mazon, the head of the regional government, told journalists, saying it was still too early to give an exact figure of the dead, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.Authorities could not give further details until relatives had been informed, he added.
Heavy rain lashed much of eastern and southern Spain on Tuesday, flooding streets with muddy water and disrupting rail and air travel.
Images shot by residents with smartphones and broadcast on Spanish TV showed raging waters washing away cars and flooding buildings.
In some areas, more than a month's rain fell in a single day, Spanish media reported.
"We are facing an unprecedented situation, which nobody remembers," Mazon said.
Officials said on Tuesday that at least seven people were missing – a truck driver in the Valencia region and six people in the town of Letur in the eastern province of Albacete.
Emergency services workers backed by drones would work through the night to look for the missing in Letur, the central government's representative in Castilla-La Mancha, Milagros Tolon, told Spanish public television station TVE.
"The priority is to find these people," she added.
Spain central government set up a crisis committee which met for the first time late Tuesday to overlook the response to the storm.
"I am closely following with concern the reports on missing persons and the damage caused by the storm in recent hours," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X, urging people to follow the advice of the authorities.
The government has deployed the UME, a military unit specialised in rescue operations, to Valencia to help local emergency services.
Valencia city hall said all school classes and sports events were suspended on Wednesday, and parks would remain closed.
Twelve flights that were due to land at Valencia airport were diverted to other cities in Spain due to the heavy rain and strong winds, Spanish airport operator Aena said.
Another 10 flights that were due to depart or arrive at the airport were cancelled.
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Bodies have been recovered after torrential rain caused flash floods in south-eastern Spain, according to the leader of the Valencia region.
"Dead bodies have been found, but out of respect for the families, we are not going to provide any further data," Carlos Mazon told journalists, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Spain has been hit by torrential rain and hailstorms, triggering flash flooding across multiple regions.
Six people are missing in Letur, which has a population of less than 1,000, in the eastern province of Albacete, officials say.
The number of bodies recovered was not specified. Rescue efforts are under way and continuing overnight.
Footage uploaded to social media shows floodwaters causing chaos, knocking down bridges and dragging cars through the streets. Other video appeared to show people clinging to trees to avoid being swept away.
Several people are missing after massive #flooding in #Spain. pic.twitter.com/w9Ceo1IHZC
— News.Az (@news_az) October 30, 2024
Radio and TV stations have reportedly been receiving hundreds of calls for help from people trapped in flooded areas or searching for loved ones, as emergency services struggle to reach some areas.
Emergency services workers are using drones to search for the missing in the badly affected municipality of Letur, local official Milagros Tolon told Spanish public television station TVE.
"The priority is to find these people," she said.
Spain's state weather agency AEMET has declared a red alert in the Valencia region and the second-highest level of alert in parts of Andalusia.
Valencia city hall said all schools and sporting events are suspended on Wednesday, and parks will stay closed.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X he was following reports of missing people "with concern".
He urged people to follow the advice of the authorities, adding that people should "avoid unnecessary trips.
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