The article was last updated at 6:03 p.m
In the hardest-hit Valencia region in the east of the country alone, 155 bodies were recovered, the regional government announced on Thursday. There were another three victims in the regions of Andalusia and Castile-La Mancha. Dozens of people are still missing.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles made the search for them the priority of the day, as she told the TV channel Telecinco. The minister did not give a number, but according to the media, dozens of people are missing. The focus is now on the question of whether the authorities did not warn of the danger early enough.
Flood warning for Castellón
The weather service Aemet issued a flood warning on Thursday for the entire province of Castellón, which is also in the Mediterranean region of Valencia, which was hit hard by heavy rain on Tuesday. She had so far been spared from the weather phenomenon that is now moving northeast.
The full extent of the damage was still unclear on Thursday afternoon. The minister said that we don’t know anything about the fate of “many” people. In the particularly hard-hit Mediterranean region of Valencia, the military is now supposed to search specifically for people in need in the towns of Paiporta and Masanasa.
Picture gallery: After devastating storms in Spain: the extent of the destruction becomes visible
CORRECTION-SPAIN-FLOODS (Foto: JOSE JORDAN (AFP)) Bild 1/27
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At the same time, Robles refused to take part in the discussion that had broken out in Spain about failures to warn of these devastating storms. “Everyone knows what they have done, good and bad,” she said, also referring to a dispute between Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the head of government of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazón. Both accuse each other of being responsible for the warning system.
In fact, civil defense warnings went to the cell phones of everyone in the Valencia region on Tuesday around 8:10 p.m., as the state broadcaster RTVE reconstructs. But it had started to rain hours before, the newspaper “El País” noted. And further wrote: The weather service Aemet had already declared the highest warning level on Tuesday morning around 7:30 a.m., which means a very high level of danger.
Andalusia and Murcia hit hard
But the warnings from civil defense were only given in the evening, when the first rivers had already overflowed their banks. Despite the storm, many people were traveling in their cars and ran the risk of getting stranded or being swept away by the current. The large Ford factory in Almussafes and the University of Valencia had already sent their people home, as the newspaper wrote.
Other regions on the Mediterranean that are popular with tourists, such as Andalusia and Murcia as well as Castile-La Mancha in the interior, were also badly hit by Tuesday’s heavy rains. Within a few hours, the extreme rainfall had turned numerous rivers into raging torrents and streets into rivers, destroying houses and carrying away trees, people and vehicles. The weather service Aemet spoke of a “historic storm”, the worst of its kind in the Valencia region, where the most deaths were recorded.
“The situation on site is dramatic”
In some places, as much rain fell in one day as usual in a year – in some places in the Valencia region, according to Aemet, up to 400 liters per square meter. People, cars and trees, but also infrastructure, were swept away in the floods. There was great devastation in many places. More precipitation fell in eight hours than during the most recent flood in Austria in five days.
“The situation on site is dramatic,” said Gerald Creator, President of the Austrian Red Cross. “Hundreds of colleagues from the Spanish Red Cross are working around the clock to alleviate the consequences of the disaster for the people affected. They help with evacuations and rescue work, look after those affected in emergency shelters and provide them with relief supplies such as food, blankets, Hygiene items and psychosocial support. The rescue workers are on constant duty for the injured. Now it is important to show solidarity and support the Red Cross in its important work.
Austrians in the region “well”
The Austrian Foreign Ministry had no indication that Austrians were affected by the disaster. “We currently have no information” about this, said a spokeswoman. “The Austrian embassy in Madrid is in contact with a handful of Austrian travelers who are currently in the regions of Spain affected by the storms. They are all doing well.” Those affected can contact the Foreign Ministry’s emergency number (+43 501150-4411) at any time.
The storm in Spain was triggered by the “cold drop” (gota fría) weather phenomenon. It occurs frequently in the Spanish Mediterranean region in the months of September and October and is based on strongly fluctuating sea and air temperatures. The phenomenon occurs when the first Atlantic low foothills push over the warm Mediterranean with cold, moist air. The central government in Madrid declared three days of national mourning starting Thursday. She also promised those affected quick help with reconstruction.
ePaper
The article summarizes the impact of severe flooding in Spain, particularly affecting the Valencia region, as well as other regions like Andalusia and Murcia. It highlights the failures in the warning system prior to the floods, noting that civil defense warnings were issued after heavy rainfall had already begun, leading to significant destruction. The severe weather was attributed to the “cold drop” phenomenon, common in the region during September and October. The Austrian Red Cross is actively involved in relief efforts, and the Austrian Foreign Ministry reports that no Austrians have been affected by the disaster. The central government has declared three days of national mourning and is preparing reconstruction assistance for those impacted. The situation on-site is described as ”dramatic,” with a call for solidarity and support for rescue efforts.