Latest news "Spain weeps" - More than 70 dead in storms in Valencia
"I'm holding on to this plant, but there's nothing around me, nothing, just water, as if I were in the middle of the sea" - Maite Jurado asked friends and relatives for help in a frightened voice on a cell phone video. At the time, her car had long since been washed away by the masses of water in Paiporta near the metropolis of Valencia.
30.10.2024, 16:35
SDA
The young Spanish woman experienced a nightmare, but was rescued and escaped with a scare. Unlike at least 72 people who died in a storm disaster in Spain.
At least 70 people died in the Valencia region alone, as the regional government confirmed on request. Two more bodies were recovered in the neighboring region of Castilla-La Mancha. Meanwhile, it is feared that the number of victims will continue to rise. An intensive search is underway for numerous missing persons. In Paiporta alone, there could be dozens of dead, Mayor Maribel Albalat told the media.
The situation is particularly bad in the Valencia region, which is also very popular with holidaymakers. But other regions bordering the Mediterranean, such as Andalusia and Murcia, have also been badly affected. The heavy rainfall flooded countless roads, buildings and fields. Roads and smaller bridges collapsed, trees, cars and even huge trucks were swept away by the masses of water like toys. In addition to heavy rain, there was hail and strong gusts of wind. From the Andalusian coastal town of El Ejido, not far from Almería, residents reported hailstones "as big as golf balls".
Trapped in offices and shopping centers
Highways and country roads were closed. Air and rail traffic was also severely affected. On Tuesday, a high-speed train on its way from Málaga to Madrid derailed due to a falling rock. There were no injuries.
Numerous people were trapped in houses, offices or shopping centers and, like Maite Jurado, made emergency calls on social media. Many also called the TV station RTVE and other media because they were unable to contact friends and relatives. "I'm looking for my 40-year-old son Enrique, who was away on business yesterday in his van and I haven't heard from him since," said one pensioner on RTVE, close to tears.
People sought shelter on the roofs of cars and houses that were completely surrounded by water, as can be seen in countless videos in the media and online. In addition to firefighters and members of the civil defense, more than 1,000 members of the military emergency aid unit UME are involved in the search and rescue work in Valencia alone.
"War-like scenes"
An RTVE reporter spoke of "war-like scenes" on a flooded street, where destroyed vehicles lay partly piled on top of each other. "It's like hell," said a local resident. A pensioner who had just been rescued said in tears in front of the cameras: "That was terrible, thank you, thank you to my guardian angels who saved me."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez encouraged those affected and promised rapid assistance. "We will use all the means at our disposal. We will not abandon you." He added: "All of Spain is crying with you."
The European Union has already offered help. "We have activated our Copernicus satellite system to help coordinate the rescue teams. And we have already offered to activate our civil protection", said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels.
"Cold drop" weather phenomenon
The so-called "cold drop" was responsible for the disaster. This is a weather phenomenon that occurs particularly frequently in the Spanish Mediterranean region in the months of September and October and is linked to the significant differences in sea and air temperatures. It occurs when the first Atlantic lows with cold, damp air push over the warm Mediterranean.
The weather service Aemet in Valencia spoke of a "historic storm" in an initial assessment. It was the worst "cold drop" (gota fría) of this century in the Valencia region, Aemet wrote on X.
Experts at home and abroad also pointed to man-made climate change. "The images from Spain are terrifying and clearly show that climate change has long been here and is a threat to humanity," said climate researcher Niklas Höhne, co-founder of the NewClimate Institute. The German warned that devastating rainfall is becoming more severe and more likely due to higher temperatures. However, with consistent measures to reduce CO2 emissions, the worst consequences could still be contained and many more disasters prevented.
