So far, 95 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the flooding in southeast Spain. It is the deadliest flood in the country in three decades. The hardest hit areas are in the regions of Malaga, Murcia and Valencia. – Yesterday was the worst day of my life. We were trapped like rats. Cars and garbage containers floated in the streets. The water rose three metres, says Ricardo Gabaldòn, mayor of Utiel in Valencia, to the Spanish national broadcaster RTVE. People walk the streets after leaving their flooded homes. Photo: Alberto Saiz / AP In Paiporta, around 10 kilometers from Valencia, are at least 40 people, writes El Pais. It is a small place with around 25,000 inhabitants. Dozens of people are missing in the affected areas. Local and social media are full of people looking for their loved ones. Many also use social media to ask for help. – There is a dead man in my house. I need help, writes a woman in the municipality of Benetússer on X, according to the Cadena Ser radio channel. A man in the municipality of Alfafar says that he had to spend the night on the roof of a tanker together with eight others to get away from the bodies of water. Only after ten hours was the last one rescued. Torrential rain and floods hit Valencia in Spain on Tuesday and dozens of people have been confirmed dead. Overnight in cars and on roofs In Valencia, dozens of people have spent the night in cars and on roofs, according to El Pais. Several are also said to have climbed trees to avoid being swept away by the huge bodies of water. Over 400 soldiers are assisting in the rescue work in the region. The authorities say that they are struggling to reach everyone who needs rescue. – We have initiated rescue, we have begun to gain access to places that until recently could not be reached, we continue to work, said Valencia region leader Carlos Mazon on Wednesday night. People are being evacuated by helicopter in the Malaga region. Cars lie in piles in Valencia after being swept away by the flood. A rescuer carries a child through the streets of Picanya, near Valencia. A lady is rescued from her home in Albacete, Spain. Flooded streets in Valencia. According to the official Spanish meteorological agency AEMET, around 490 millimeters of rain fell in several places in the Valencia region on Tuesday. That is as much as normally comes in a whole year. A number of roads have been closed and emergency services are urging residents to avoid traveling on the roads. In addition, several train and flight departures have been canceled in the affected regions. At least 70 people have died in the floods in the south of Spain The storm is moving towards the north-east. A red warning has now been issued for the area around Barcelona. But also in parts of Andalusia in the south, a lot of rain and wind is expected, and the meteorological institute has issued a red warning there as well. National mourning The Spanish authorities have declared three days of national mourning. – It is a very difficult time for relatives and the missing. We are shocked, said the head of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazon, on Wednesday morning. The torrential rain “DANA” triggered by a cold front in the south and east of Spain led to flash floods on Tuesday. At least 155,000 people have been affected by power cuts, and several motorways have been closed, writes the Spanish newspaper El Pais. At the same time, train departures between Madrid and the Valencia region have been cancelled. There are not to be any Norwegian citizens among the dead, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. – Our embassy in Madrid is working to obtain an overview of the situation, and has been in contact with Norwegian citizens in the area, says communications advisor Mathias Rongved to news. Haven’t experienced anything like this. Seamen’s priest in Albir, Peder Myren, urges Norwegians affected by the storm to contact local authorities. – We have not received any messages about this yet, but everyone can contact the Seamen’s Church if necessary. We are always there for those who need it. Bjørn Larsen was in Torrevieja when the torrential rain hit Spain. Photo: Private Bjørn Larsen is on a motorhome holiday in Spain with his wife and is now in Torrevieja. They have driven all the way down from Finnmark, he says he has never experienced anything like it – although they did not get the worst of the storm. – It started with heavy thunder two days ago, with heavy thunderstorms and a lot of rain. So much rain that the streets were rivers with almost as much water in the streets as the height of the curbs. He says they have experienced a lot of storms on their journey down Europe. – I have never experienced anything like this before. I certainly think climate change is a significant factor here. – I hope it dries up a bit and will be good, not least for the population here. Warmer, wetter and wilder Climate change has already changed where, how often and how strongly the world experiences floods, and can lead to more and more serious landslides, according to the UN climate panel. This is, among other things, because Europe and other parts of the world have experienced a lot of extreme rainfall in recent years the years. Man-made climate change is already increasing the chance of the rain becoming so extreme. Lars Tore Endresen / news What has happened so far? When the temperature rises, more water evaporates, and the atmosphere can hold more water. This means that the rainfall becomes more concentrated and intense, according to the climate panel. They say that spring floods come earlier than before, and that floods come more often and more powerfully than before in many places in the world. Norwegian Public Roads Administration What do we know about landslides? Increased rainfall and melting of snow and glaciers can also increase the risk of landslides, especially in steep mountain areas. In addition to climate change, population growth and tourism are also factors that make landslides more likely in the future, because there will be more pressure on nature. Can we do something about it? The less greenhouse gases the world emits in the coming years, the less warming we will get. Then the risk of extreme weather linked to water will also decrease. In addition, there are measures such as warning systems and better planning of infrastructure, which can limit the worst damage. Countries around the world have pledged to try to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. With current policies, we are facing 2.8 degrees of warming, according to UNEP. – The flood is not over yet Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, says the government will use all necessary means to help victims of the flood, according to the Reuters news agency. – I ask people to be vigilant, the flood is not over yet, he says. The EU says it has activated a satellite system to help coordinate the rescue team. – What we see in Spain is catastrophic. My thoughts go out to the victims, says the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen on X. Rescuers help the inhabitants of Letur in Spain Photo: AP The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola also writes on X that “Europe is ready to help” – I stand in solidarity with the population of southern and eastern Spain facing very serious floods with catastrophic consequences. Spain’s King Felipe VI said on Wednesday that he was “devastated” by the events and thanked the emergency services for their handling. – The royal family is shaken by the latest news about the storm and sends our deepest condolences to all those affected, writes the Royal Palace on X. Published 30/10/2024, at 09.33 Updated 30.10.2024, at 21.13
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Many dead and missing after massive floods in Spain – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
