Spain mourns flood deaths as rescuers search cars and homes for bodies
The region of Valencia has been devastated in what is the worst natural disaster to hit Spain for decades, ITV News Europe Editor James Mates reports
At least 158 people have died and others are missing after flash floods tore through towns and villages in southern and eastern Spain this week, authorities have said.
Rainstorms that started on Tuesday and continued into Wednesday caused flooding that stretched from Malaga to Valencia. It is the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation in recent memory.
A 71-year-old British man was among those killed in the flash floods, officials said on Wednesday, with rescuers continuing to search for bodies in stranded cars and sodden buildings.
On Thursday, emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed a death toll of at least 155 people in the province alone.
Two other casualties were reported in the neighbouring Castilla La Mancha region on Wednesday, while southern Andalusia reported one death.
Spain's national weather service Aemet said it rained more in eight hours in Valencia than it had in the preceding 20 months.
The president of the Andalusian government said the British man who died was "suffering from hypothermia and died after suffering several cardiac arrests".
He died in hospital after being rescued from his home near Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga.
Forecasters have warned that more "extreme" rain is expected to hit the areas affected by the monstrous flash floods.
Floods of mud-coloured water tumbled vehicles down streets at high speeds, while pieces of wood swirled in the water with household items.
More rainfall into the weekend
Castellón province is on a “red” extreme alert, while Tarragona, Teruel, and the southern province of Cádiz are on orange warnings.
Southwestern areas, including Seville, Cáceres, and Badajoz, face yellow warnings with up to 20mm of rain expected in one hour.
More rainfall is expected on Friday.
Emergency services are continuing to search for those missing, with the number of those unaccounted for unknown.
More than 1,000 soldiers were drafted into affected areas to help with the rescue operation.
“We are facing a very difficult situation,” Minister of Territory Policies Ángel Víctor Torres said. “The fact that we can’t give a number of the missing persons indicates the magnitude of the tragedy.”
Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and rubber boats to reach drivers stranded atop cars.
“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said.
Luís Sánchez, a welder, narrowly survived and rescued several people when floodwaters swept hundreds of vehicles along a motorway in Valencia.
He told the Associated Press (AP): "I saw bodies floating past. I called out but nothing. The firefighters took the elderly first when they could get in. I am from nearby so I tried to help and rescue people. People were crying all over, they were trapped.”
About 150,000 people in Valencia were left without electricity on Wednesday, roughly half regained power by Thursday, Spanish news agency EFE reported.
The National Police said 39 arrests were made on Wednesday after people affected by the storms looted shops.
In a televised address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said: "For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain."
As the floods receded, thick layers of mud mixed with refuse made some streets unrecognisable.
Javier Berenguer, 63, escaped his bakery in Utiel, Valencia when crushing water threatened to overwhelm him. He said it rose to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) inside his business, and he fears his livelihood has been destroyed.
“I had to get out of a window as best I could because the water was already coming up to my shoulders. I took refuge on the first floor with the neighbours and I stayed there all night,” Berenguer told AP.
“It has taken everything. I have to throw everything out of the bakery, the freezers, ovens, everything.”
Meanwhile, the mayor of one Valencia town, Paiporta, said within 10 minutes "the village was overflowing with water".
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Pedro Sanchez said dozens of towns had been flooded and asked people to exercise "great caution" and avoid moving if possible.
The government declared three days of mourning which started on Thursday.
Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years, and the country has recovered somewhat from a severe drought this year due to rainfall.Scientists say that increased episodes of extreme weather are likely linked to climate change.
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