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LAST UPDATE | 30 Oct 2024
THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT has declared three days of mourning from tomorrow after at least 95 people were killed in disastrous floods in the south and east of the country.
Flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted rail lines and highways.
The reported death toll rose to 95 people this evening, increasing from a previous count of 74.
The toll is likely to rise further because “there are many missing people”, government minister Angel Victor Torres told public broadcaster TVE.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke with the country’s King Felipe about the official days of mourning after strong rainstorms caused the worst extreme weather event to hit the nation in recent memory.
According to the European Severe Weather Database, a month’s worth of rainfall fell in some areas within a matter of hours.
Floods of mud-coloured water tumbled vehicles down streets at frightening speeds.
Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and cars.
High-speed train service between Valencia city and Madrid was interrupted, as were several commuter lines. One train with nearly 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities said no-one was hurt.
The extreme flooding aligns with growing instability caused by climate change.
As the climate crisis worsens, extreme weather events are becoming more likely, more frequent, and more severe.
To stop it, the world needs to collectively reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases, which are trapping heat inside the atmosphere and forcing average global temperatures upwards, destabilising the climate.
In 2021, 230 people were killed in severe floods in Germany and Belgium.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the Department of Foreign Affairs was available to help “any Irish citizen who may have been caught up in these floods” over the past 24 hours.
Martin told reporters in Dublin this morning the floods were an example of the “worsening climate” and pointed to a need for “stronger adaptation across Europe and within Ireland” as well.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has said the Irish government “will help in any way we can” following the disaster.
“On behalf of Ireland, I send our deepest sympathies and solidarity to the people of Spain,” Harris said on social media.
On behalf of Ireland, I send our deepest sympathies & solidarity to the people of Spain and PM @sanchezcastejon after the horrific floods and loss of life overnight.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 30, 2024
Ireland will help in any way we can, including through EU structures.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union was “ready to help” after flooding left dozens dead in Spain’s eastern Valencia region.
“What we are seeing is devastating,” von der Leyen told a news conference.
“We have activated our Copernicus satellite system to help coordinate the rescue teams, and we have already offered to activate our civil protection mechanism.”
More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to the devastated areas.
“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” Ricardo Gabaldon, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE.
He said several people were still missing in his town.
“We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to three metres,” he said.
Christian Viena, a bar owner in the Valencian village of Barrio de la Torre, said: “The neighbourhood is destroyed, all the cars are on top of each other, it’s literally smashed up.”
“Everything is a total wreck, everything is ready to be thrown away. The mud is almost 30 centimetres deep,” Viena said.
Spain has experienced autumn storms in recent years but nothing compared to the devastation over the last two days.
The death toll could easily rise with other regions yet to report victims and search efforts continuing in areas with difficult access.
In the village of Letur in the neighbouring Castilla La Mancha region, mayor Sergio Marin Sanchez said six people were missing.
Storms are forecast to continue through tomorrow, according to Spain’s national weather service.
Rescuers have been working to help people trapped by floodwaters.
Around 200 people rescued overnight by emergency services are being sheltered in fire stations.
“Several hundred people” were trapped on two motorways in the Valencia region as of earlier today, according to fire service chief Jose Miguel Basset.
The head of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazon, told reporters there were no longer people to save from roofs or terraces through aerial means.
Emergency services carried out 200 rescues on the ground and 70 aerial evacuations throughout the day, he said.
With additional reporting by Mairead Maguire, Lauren Boland, Press Association and AFP
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Horrendous rest in peace and condolences to their families
Some really shocking images! Condolences to all. Respect and strength to the rescue teams, I hope you all make it home x
So sad to see this, it’s frightening.
Terrible to see such devastation and loss of life,
That is horrendous, utter catastrophe. May the victims RIP
Rip to all those who lost their lives.
Jesus, I was there recently enough….lovely place. Shocking to see this.
Devastating flood,RIP to the victims.
It would be great if nobody responds to John F Doe as it only gives him the attention that he craves. I reported his comment, so hopefully the Journal remove it, but I wouldn’t bet on it
@Kevin Kerr: I haven’t seen it as I muted him. Before I could never do that in the app, it just wouldn’t work and I never really wanted to mute anyone even when they spouting absolute nonsense. It seems to me you’ll only get banned if saying anything similar about Gov parties. It’s getting ridiculous when I even feel to defend people I totally disagree with on many things from the bs and pure nonsense from these.
But you also need to call out those that doing the same in defence of the Gov too.
Seems to me like the journals pro Gov narratives and comments ‘policy’ initially to protect same narratives have spectacularly backfired.
They should either leave comments open on all articles that do not have ongoing legal issues or get rid altogether.
@Kevin Kerr: and you’ve in no way given him any attention by making this post about him have you?
@Ger Whelan: Yea, maybe I have Ger. But generally speaking, not engaging with trolls seems like a good tactic to me. Though maybe I should practice what I preach. Anyway, the comment has been removed, so all good
@Ger Whelan: Understand totally where you are coming from but that a/c is all over the journal.
It does pain me defending ‘Kevin’ here as I suspect he’s muted me.
That a/c along with his mates accused me of being one of ‘Kevs’ multiple profiles ffs lol.
Kev is a pro FFGer, which is his prerogative, but I am certainly not.
@Kevin Kerr: By making your statement, you’ve engaged with the troll and given him/her exactly what they wanted. In fact you’ve given them a lot more attention. Good man
@Ger Whelan: did you ever think that you engaging with me on the matter is giving him even more attention? Good man, you patronising t*t
@Kevin Kerr: with due respect, this is a horrendous article detailing the devastating floods in Spain, R.I.P. to all affected. I don’t need you/ anyone else telling me who to read / engage with. You are NOT the comments police, no matter how much trolling / reporting you do. Again, sympathies to those affected
@Michale Kane: here here, well said…besides, muting is only giving the trolls free reign. Anyhow, I hate when sensitive articles so I’ll just say my deepest sympathies to this affected.
R.I.P
@Frank Mc Carthy: “get hijacked”
@Frank Mc Carthy: We heard you the first time ken
@Frank Mc Carthy: what’s that smell? It’s the BS coming from Frank/Buster/Kevvy and his faux concern. Spare me
@Freda Peeple: whatever ‘kevin kerrr’ , as always zero respect, but you do you as usual
@Kevin Kerr: Yea his faux concern is sick, the man is starved of attention in the real world hence his neediness here
@Frank Mc Carthy: totally agree .. those that ‘hijack’ tragic articles like this only show their true colours.
@Kevin Kerr: ah didn’t take long for ya to get back to your lofty self Kev… jeez could ya have at least waited for a comment I hadn’t defended you in ?
@Ger Whelan: for clarity I was defending what was said about a certain a/c, not Kevs lofty air of superiority.. There was no need for him to call you that name.. that’s a low blow.
@Michale Kane: I was having what I thought was a civil exchange with Ger, but then he finished his post with “good man”, a patronising insult if ever there is one. That is all Michale, nothing lofty about it
@Michale Kane: do those accounts actually deserve our sympathy though?? Next article with comments open they’ll be straight in with the insults, name calling & juvenile ramblings again. They’ve turned this site into a cesspit & I for one will call them out on it
@Kevin Kerr: Ah look at you spitting your dummy out and throwing out insults because you were called out. Good man.
@Ger Whelan: yes Ger, you called me out. I responded in a friendly manner, but that wasn’t good enough for you, was it? You had to repeat the same thing, and then sign off with “good man”. So get off your high horse
@Kevin Kerr: No high horse here bud. Unlike you I don’t try to put myself on a pedestal. You made this post thinking you are better than John, yet you are just as bad as him. Funny thing is his post like yours went against the topic of the article. You reported his comment and it got deleted. I reported your comment over an hour ago and it’s still here. Wonder why that is?
@Ger Whelan: his comment was removed because he was trolling off topic and looking for a reaction. Maybe my comment was ill advised, but it was made in good faith. I accepted that when you pointed it out, but that wasn’t good enough for you, was it. It never is
@Kevin Kerr: your comment is trolling and off topic. It’s also now breaking more of the site rules because of your childish name calling. But hey it is what it is
@Ger Whelan: you need to look up the definition of trolling. My name calling was in response to your rudeness when I thought we were having a civil conversation – silly me, I won’t make that mistake again. And btw, that’s the same rudeness that you demonstrated on another article when correcting another poster
@Kevin Kerr: this isn’t the first post you’ve resorted to childish name calling. It’s. It’s your go to move on most posts. Look at you again changing the topic and bringing up comments on other articles.. typical of you
@Ger Whelan: No point engaging with that account, it’s one of many. That’s his role on here, to disrupt the narrative & push the agenda of the Govt parties. He constantly pontificates from his high horse, then insulting posters, many of whom he reports, yet he never gets censored, which begs a question of the Journal. If you use the latest technology, you will find that there are indeed Trolls & multiple accounts here, some are just lads winding up people & they are so obvious & sometimes witty & then you have the Shills doing the PR work. Let’s not forget Leo’s secret PR Dept, Harris is just as bad as well. There is one retired RTE head on here as well, “Kevin” is just someone operating on behalf of others to silence debate & people expressing opinions.
@Kevin Kerr: I appear to be living rent free in your head lol
@SV3tN8M4: good grief, John, your paranoia is really getting the better of you. That’s of course if you actually believe what you said, or if you’re just trying, and failing, to discredit me for some unknown reason
Im here in the south of Spain on holidays. Its been raining non stop for 4 days and is due to continue for a week or 2.
The night before last had 15 hours non stop thunder and lightening. The longest and worst ive ever seen. But it was a great light show over the sea in the dark. Didnt sleep too well
@BadBob: That’s such bad luck. We got back from Malaga last Thursday. We had sunny 24° for eight days!!
Living in the murcia region, thankfully where we are got away lightly. Well done to all the emergency services, doing an unbelievable job.
Continual major warnings for the hurricane that hit Florida,yet no major warnings about these floods.which has killed up on 100 people.
We often visit the Murcia area. Shocking to see. It’s a place that seldom gets heavy rain but by Jaysus it made up for it over the last few days.
Seeing as the Covid story has been closed to comments, it’s a whitewash.
@AnthonyK: You only had to see the type of comments that were being posted before being removed to understand why it has been closed off. Happens with most articles.
Oh ffs, shut up the lot of you. Have you no empathy for those poor souls who lost their lives, RIP? and the people who’s homes and businesses are destroyed and them left homeless. Pity the one’s who are still waiting to find out whether their families and friends are safe and pity those who are suffering in hospitals, some with life changing injuries. You lot don’t know how lucky you are. Be grateful it’s not you.
491 mm of rain in a few days. The local politicians who did away with the Emergency section last year have some questions to answer, just like our mealy mouthed useless political class going door to door at the moment. All the towns & villages that are waiting decades for flood relief schemes around the country, hearing the usual empty promises from all parties, all lies to get elected. The whole political system in Ireland revolves around getting elected & as we saw with the articles on Pensions, hang on there & become mega rich out of it. Nothing about delivering for the people. The OPW should be disbanded & put someone capable in charge & let private business build the flood relief schemes. The country is a shambles & falls for the electoral lies every time.
The general Alicante region was spared this time round thanks be; there was a DANA in 2019 which killed fewer but gave a devastating economic blow to its economy, particularly farmers of the Vega Baja area. I remember walking up to my hips in the mud to do a bit of shopping. They are no strangers to these events. Many people never received compensation from gov or insurance groups so we shall see the gnashing of teeth that goes on after this. It’s no wonder the Spanish have a fear of rain that we Irish can sometimes chuckle at. RIP and strength to those who have lost.
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