Deadly floods wreak havoc in Spain: 64 dead, thousands affected
At least 64 people have died due to the violent floods that swept through southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, according to local authorities and media reports.
6:12 PM EDT, October 30, 2024
Storms, caused by a cold atmospheric front moving through the southern and eastern parts of Spain, have caused damage and turned city streets into raging torrents, especially in the provinces of Valencia, Albacete, and Malaga.
Public transportation in Valencia came to a halt—train and bus services were canceled, the metro stopped operating, and flights were redirected or canceled. In Alora, Malaga, residents were deprived of drinking water after the swollen Guadalhorce River damaged the water supply network.
The company Iberdrola reported that around 150,000 of its customers in the province of Valencia lost power, and significant damage occurred at many gas stations. Farmers in Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, and Valencia estimate that crop losses will be enormous, reaching millions of euros.
"All of Spain cries with you," said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday, who took charge of the government crisis committee immediately after returning from India. The prime minister promised to provide the victims with "all necessary means for as long as it takes."
Other Spanish autonomous communities, such as Aragon, Galicia, and Cantabria, are offering support to the regions affected by the disaster. This includes helicopters, drones, fire trucks, pumps, and personnel.
Germany and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, have also pledged support, including activating the Copernicus satellite system to help coordinate rescue efforts. Earlier, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, had also expressed readiness to help.
King Felipe VI of Spain expressed his condolences to the victims' families, emphasizing that he and the queen support all those affected by the tragedy. Sports communities, including Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid and local football clubs in Valencia, also showed solidarity with the victims.
Floods in Spain. Storms are expected to last until Thursday
More than 1,000 soldiers are involved in the rescue operation, and additional troops have been deployed to Letur in Albacete, where one of the two flood victims in the Castile-La Mancha region was found.
Meteorological services predict that the storms will last until Thursday—Wednesday's warnings covered the northeastern part of the country, including Catalonia, where a red alert was announced, and Aragon, where floods have begun.
