At least 70 killed in flooding in Spain

At least 70 people are reported to have died as a result of flooding in Spain, which mainly affected the province of Valencia, according to the Integrated Operational Coordination Center of the Ministry of Interior, which compiles information from various security and emergency agencies. Early in the day, Valencian authorities discussed “multiple victims” but could not confirm an exact number.

An 88-year-old woman died in the town of Mira in Cuenca, and there are growing concerns for the six individuals who have been missing since yesterday in Letur in Albacete. The Spanish Ministry of Defense has provided portable morgues amid fears that, as the mud inundating many towns in Valencia begins to be cleared, additional bodies may be discovered, raising the death toll. To assist in locating corpses, the Defense Ministry has mobilized aerial resources, military psychologists, and trained dogs.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has urged the public “not to let their guard down” as the weather phenomenon continues to wreak havoc. Dozens of individuals spent the night stranded on trucks or cars, climbing onto the roofs of stores or gas stations, or trapped in their vehicles on impassable roads until they could be rescued.

Spain’s King Felipe VI expressed his condolences to the affected families and warned of the “enormous destruction” of infrastructure and material goods as a result of the storm. “There are still difficulties of access to some localities, so we do not have complete information on the extent and possible victims,” he said from Gran Canaria, where he is attending an air defense exercise. “I am reassured to know that all possible means available are at the disposal of the authorities and the emergency services.”

According to the premier of Valencia, Carlos Mazón, the rescue efforts were hindered by the sheer impossibility of reaching those in need. Firefighters and local police were joined by members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME). Even the security forces faced challenges; the Civil Guard barracks in Paiporta spent the night anxiously awaiting news about two of its agents who went missing.

The heavy rains have resulted in power outages affecting 155,000 people and road closures across several provinces in the east and southeast. Furthermore, high-speed rail services between Madrid and the Valencian Community, as well as the Mediterranean corridor to Barcelona, will remain suspended throughout the day. This morning, the storm is moving northward, particularly impacting the eastern and southeastern provinces.

In the Valencian region, the heaviest rains have impacted the interior of Valencia province, leading to several road closures — similar situations have been reported in Teruel, Andalusia, and Castilla-La Mancha — while railway services remain suspended.

Videos of torrents of water sweeping away cars and people circulated rapidly through messaging apps and social media. However, these clips also played a crucial role in locating those trapped, assisting the efforts of the security forces.

The extreme weather is the result of the gota fría — literally “cold drop,” a term used in Spain to describe a sudden drop in temperatures along the east coast caused by the arrival of very cold polar air. The cold drop in Valencia is the worst of the 21st century, comparable to those experienced in 1987 and 1982, specifically the Pantanada de Tous, according to the initial assessment provided by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) on its X profile.

Flights diverted

Spain’s air traffic control manager, Enaire, reported the diversion of 30 flights at Valencia airport and another 19 at Madrid-Barajas. “Currently, adverse weather conditions are concentrated in the northeast and center of the peninsula,” warned the company.

Air traffic at various airports across Spain is subject to what controllers refer to as “regulations.” These adjustments in take-off and landing operations are due to safety concerns or high volume caused by the influx of diverted flights, and primarily affect Valencia, Madrid, and Barcelona. Torrential rains have also disrupted operations at Alicante and Málaga airports.

The professionals at the Valencia control center managed to take over the night shift Tuesday morning with the assistance of the fire department, ensuring traffic assistance in the eastern region.

The European body Eurocontrol also warned of disruptions in the scheduling of flights to and from London Heathrow, as well as German airports in Eindhoven and Frankfurt, Switzerland’s Zurich Airport, Brussels Airport in Belgium, and Paris Airport in France.

Train services suspended

The situation report from Spain’s state-owned rail company Renfe at 10:00 a.m. indicated that most rail services in Valencia remain suspended. The high-speed line connecting Madrid and Valencia is still closed, resulting in the cancellation of scheduled trips by Renfe, Iryo, and Ouigo. Currently, the infrastructure manager Adif is assessing the situation to provide updates to operators and their passengers.

High-speed connections between Valencia and Seville are also suspended, along with long-distance and medium-distance services on the Valencia-Alicante-Murcia route, as well as the medium-distance connections between Valencia, Albacete, and Alcázar de San Juan, and along the Valencia-Aragón and Valencia-Tortosa axes.

The rainstorm and subsequent flooding in various parts of Valencia have also halted operations on five lines of the Cercanías commuter network: C1 Valencia-Gandía, C2 Valencia-Moixent, C3 Valencia-Utiel, C5 Valencia-Caudiel, and C6 Valencia-Castellón.

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