Heavy rainfall brought flash floods to a wide swath of southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, causing widespread damage and disruptions. The storms swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers, and blocked rail lines and highways. Regional President Carlos Mazon of eastern Valencia said it was too early to give an exact figure of the dead, with many people still missing. According to Spanish national broadcaster RTVE, 13 bodies have been recovered in Valencia, citing the Civil Guard.
The town of Alora in Malaga, one of the hardest-hit areas, saw cars being swept away, with videos showing buildings and streets underwater. Emergency services were deployed to rescue those trapped, and evacuations took place in some areas. A high-speed train carrying nearly 300 people derailed near Malaga, although surprisingly, no one was reported injured.
Rail services were severely impacted, with high-speed train service between Valencia city and Madrid interrupted, as well as several commuter lines. The Spanish national weather service forecast the storms to continue through Thursday, but the full extent of the damage and casualties is still being assessed.
Flash Floods Rage Through Southern and Eastern Spain (Image via Getty)
The aftermath of the flooding has left a trail of destruction, with many facing uncertainty about their homes and livelihoods. The region’s infrastructure was severely tested, particularly the transportation networks, which were forced toclose due to the flooding. The economic impact of the storms will also be significant, as businesses and agriculture were affected by the severe weather.
As the search for survivors continues, concerns are growing about the fate of those who remain missing. The Spanish authorities have been working to locate and rescue those stranded, but the extent of the damage and the number of fatalities is still unclear. One thing is certain, however, the people of southern and eastern Spain will be facing a long and difficult road to recovery.
