Madrid: At least 95 people have died due to flooding caused by heavy rain in Spain's eastern region of Valencia, as well as in the nearby provinces of Albacete and Cuenca, according to Angel Victor Torres, the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory.
The area experienced an astonishing amount of rainfall, exceeding 400 litres per square metre, which caused significant flooding in just a few hours from Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. Over 60 roads have been closed, including major highways along the eastern coast and routes between Madrid and Valencia. Local train services have also been halted, with the high-speed rail link between Valencia and the capital suspended.
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Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to visit the affected regions on Thursday, as announced by the government. He held an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning and declared a formal commitment to support the families of those impacted by the floods.
Around 1,000 members of Spain's Military Emergency Response Unit (UME) have been sent to help with rescue and cleanup efforts. However, their work has been hindered by power outages and damaged phone networks in many areas.
Meteorologists say the heavy rain is due to a weather phenomenon called "isolated high-altitude depression," or DANA in Spanish. This occurs when a cold air front moves over the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. While such events can have localised impacts, similar floods devastated Valencia in 1966 and 1957 when the River Turia overflowed.
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Published: 31 Oct 2024, 01:07 pm IST
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