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LAST UPDATE | 31 Oct 2024
THE DEATH TOLL from floods in the east of Spain has risen to at least 158 people.
Torrential rains that began at the start of the week brought about the deadliest flooding disaster in the country since 1973. Three days of mourning start today and the death toll is expected to rise.
Emergency services carried out 200 rescues on the ground and 70 aerial evacuations yesterday, said Valencia regional government chief Carlos Mazon.
President Michael D. Higgins has written to King Felipe VI of Spain to express condolences those affected by the floods.
“On behalf of the people of Ireland, may I express my deepest condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives in the devastating floods which have occurred in Spain,” he said.
“May I further express my solidarity with the emergency services and other rescue workers who continue to work to save lives and provide vital assistance in the areas affected. All those who have been impacted by these terrible floods, and all those working around the clock to help them, will remain in our thoughts over the coming days.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris said this evening that he has been in contact with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and expressed Ireland’s “horror and sorrow” at the loss of life.
“The Taoiseach said the emerging stories of loss and injury are heartbreaking. Prime Minister Sanchez thanked the people of Ireland for their solidarity and kindness,” a government statement to media said.
“Ireland will help in every way we can, including through EU structures.”
The body coordinating rescue work in the Valencia region announced that 155 bodies had been recovered there by Thursday afternoon.
Officials in Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia had announced a combined three deaths in their regions on Wednesday.
Walls of rushing water turned narrow streets into death traps and spawned rivers that ripped into the ground floors of homes and swept away cars, people and anything else in their path.
An Irish teacher living in Spain describes the scenes in Valencia as “something like The Purge”, referring to the Hollywood film franchise.
“The neighbourhood is destroyed, all the cars are on top of each other, it’s literally smashed up,” said Christian Viena, a bar owner in the Valencian village of Barrio de la Torre.
Addressing a reception in Madrid, King Felipe expressed condolences to the victims and their families for the “catastrophic” event, which “as we have heard in the media is still not over”.
The devastation left by the floods has raised questions about how one of the world’s most developed nations failed to respond adequately to extreme storms likely to intensify as climate change accelerates.
National weather agency AEMET launched a red alert for the hardest-hit eastern Valencia region yesterday morning and conditions deteriorated throughout the day.
But it was only in the early evening that the regional body in charge of coordinating the emergency services was set up.
And an alert sent by the civil protection service urging residents of Valencia not to leave home was issued after 8pm.
For many, it was already too late. Motorists began journeys only to find themselves trapped on roads and left at the mercy of raging torrents of water.
Heavy downpours and fierce winds have lashed Spain since the beginning of the week after a storm formed over the Mediterranean Sea, with up to a year’s worth of rain falling in just hours in some areas.
“They raised the alarm when the water was already here, there’s no need to tell me the flood is coming,” fumed Julian Ormeno, a 66-year-old pensioner in the Valencia city suburb of Sedavi.
“Nobody came to take responsibility,” he told AFP.
With weather forecasters issuing warnings beforehand, such tragedies are “entirely avoidable” if people can be kept away from surging flood water, said Hannah Cloke, hydrology professor at the University of Reading.
Torrential rain and flooding have killed at least 95 people in Spain’s eastern region of Valencia. The region received a year’s worth of rain in just eight hours in one of the deadliest weather events to hit the country https://t.co/dOCXYVg39M pic.twitter.com/Klpj0v7e8o
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 31, 2024
The devastating outcome suggests Valencia’s warning system failed, she said. “People just don’t know what to do when faced with a flood, or when they hear warnings.”
“People shouldn’t be dying from these kinds of forecasted weather events in countries where they have the resources to do better,” added Liz Stephens, a professor in climate risks and resilience at the University of Reading.
“We have a long way to go to prepare for this kind of event, and worse, in future.”
Experts have said the storm was caused by cold air moving over Mediterranean’s warm waters, which produced intense rain clouds, a phenomenon common for the time of year.
But they also say the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.
#DANA. 24 intenses hores intentant arribar, per via terrestre, aquàtica i aèria als màxims llocs possibles en escenaris inaccessibles i complicats
— Bombers Consorci VLC (@BombersValencia) October 30, 2024
🎥 d'alguns dels rescats que ahir van realitzar els efectius @BombersValencia. En estos moments seguim treballant a tota la província pic.twitter.com/vlBqyoNK9m
The events “are yet another wake-up call that our climate is changing rapidly”, according to Hayley Fowler, professor of climate change impacts at Britain’s Newcastle University.
“Our infrastructure is not designed to deal with these levels of flooding,” she added, saying “record-shatteringly hot” warmer sea temperatures fuel storms that dump extreme levels of rain in one place.
Such extreme weather “can overwhelm the ability of existing defences and contingency plans to cope, even in a relatively wealthy country like Spain”, said Leslie Mabon, senior lecturer in environmental systems at Britain’s Open University.
“The floods in Spain are a timely reminder that no country is exempt from the risks of climate change.”
European Commission envoy Florika Fink-Hooijer said the “catastrophe” highlighted the link between biodiversity loss and human-caused climate change.
“If we act on biodiversity, we at least can buffer some of the climate impacts,” Fink-Hooijer said at a press conference in the city of Cali, host of the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) to the UN’s Convention on Biodiversity.
“At this COP we really have a chance to act,” said the envoy, who is also the European Commission director-general for environment.
For Linda Speight, a lecturer at the School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford, warnings for intense thunderstorms are “incredibly hard to issue” as the exact location of the heaviest rainfall is usually unknown in advance.
“We urgently need to adapt our cities to be more resilient to floods,” she added, suggesting making space for water to flow through urban environments without causing damage.
“We take preparation for other hazards such as earthquakes and tsunami very seriously,” added Jess Neumann, associate professor of hydrology, at the University of Reading.
“It is time we afforded the same to flood risk preparedness.”
Government minister Angel Victor Torres declined to answer directly when asked about the potential delay in sending alerts to the population.
In the Valencia region town of Utiel, the storm dumped 230 mm of rain on Tuesday – three times the previous daily record, according to national weather agency AEMET.
That represented a quantity of water almost six times greater than what the area receives on average for the whole month of October.
“There’s nothing left to save, I lost everything in one night,” Utiel resident Emilio Munoz told AFP in front of his small red-brick house.
The pensioner in his 70s had just finished cooking when the water seeped into his home “and overturned everything”, with branches and leaves hanging from his dining room chandelier.
Diggers ploughed through thick layers of mud on the roads to allow rescuers to move through the town littered with uprooted trees and upended cars.
With reporting from AFP a Press Association
Jaysus, isn’t he just great altogether. But don’t listen to me, just read what he’s written about himself above.
@Chris Linehan: eh he did several tours of the Leb, he’s got bigger balls than you
@Inanimate Carbon Rod: By the sounds of it, you’ve had quite a good close up of those balls of his. To be clear, I wasn’t trying to undermine or disrespect his service or the research he did, but you can’t deny he paints a very good picture of himself as the embodiment of a professional, intellectual amd ethical officer.
@Chris Linehan: he is all those things you mentioned. Your problem is?
@Chris Linehan: why wouldn’t he paint that picture of Himself?, wasn’t it He who did the research, and done the interviews and gathered all the information required to complete the story. They did not know what would be uncovered, that is why they key him continue, but then when the whole thing came together it was not acceptable . It would destroy the Organisation, so try and discredit him and his research. Fair play to him, it is probably a better place to work now.
@EillieEs: Maybe he is all of those things. I myself am highly professional, an intellectual among my peers and have actually written the ethical standards which my chosen industry upholds. I’m also humble and so wouldn’t tell people those things about myself.
@Chris Linehan: they’ll write songs about you.
@Eugene Comaskey: My comment had nothing to with his research or service. Fair play to him for both.
@Hanzee: No need. I’ll write my own songs about myself.
@Chris Linehan: Sounds a lot like jealously to me Chris . Only a small minded man would belittle this man ‘s actions at great personal sacrifices to himself and his family . He has gone above and beyond to serve his country and made a huge difference to the defense forces in Ireland .
@Mary Mc Carthy: Who belittled his actions? Like i said twice, his service and research are to be commended. I was making light of his ‘farts don’t stink’ opinion of himself.
@Chris Linehan: and rightly so he did the research and the hard work with drive, conviction and immense respect for his position and that of his colleagues. He is only getting what was long overdue for him.
The other uninformed services could take advice from this.
@Chris Linehan: ‘cept a humble person doesnt tell anyone that they are.
@Chris Linehan: why cant u just be happy for someone who has endured so much both professional y & personally that he has come thru the other side ? Gives hope to us all
@Chris Linehan: u were saying about humility?
@Chris Linehan: would you get the massive chip on your shoulder looked into Chris, good man.
@Neil Ryan: what chip is that exactly? I made a quip about the clearly cocky tone of the article, as others did. The Journal melts interpreted that as an attack on his research and military service.
@eileen boles: that was my point.
@Chris Linehan: come again?
@Inanimate Carbon Rod: something tells me chris or someine close may have too….He was a brave man,forced to stand up for those women, force by what he heard,and unable to follow orders to bury it ….wouldnt Collins be disgusted with those officers….
@Chris Linehan: yes you were,now grow a pair and expand as to why….!
@Chris Linehan: did you have your life and character destroyed fior trying the truth that would eventually lead to transformational changes in the industry you worked? His sacrifice has led two better lives for thousands in his old work place and this sacrifice is finally being acknowledged yet you want to belittle him?
I have experience as a contract employee of several and diverse branches of the public service.
The service is riven with political patronage and the basic philosophy prevailing on matters of right and wrong is “don’t rock the boat”
that’s enough about me -let’s talk about you- what do you think about me ;-)
@Dave Hammond: the article is about his experience as a whistleblower, why on earth would he talk about other issues?
@EillieEs: lighten up Ellie
@Dave Hammond: says a narcissist
@Dave Hammond: ur a nonce?
Magnificent telling of a terrible story that’s had magnificent ending recently. (I found it very moving) – Tom Clonan is a national Hero who deserves presidential honour
@Paul O’Mahony (Cork): a presidential honour for doing his job? Whaaaaat??
@Da Vid: Go back and read the story again and then you might just get it !
@Da Vid: For doing his job? For being a brave whistle blower who forced others to do their jobs! He and people like him should be given a special pension for every year they were left out in the cold!
@Da Vid: its grt to know that the auld begrudgery still alive & well for some wasnt just doin his job btw.
@Paul O’Mahony (Cork): I don’t believe he did for glitzy awards, he did because it was the right thing to do. He took some amount of grief for doing so but stuck to his guns and was proven right for doing so.
@Da Vid: doing his job? Her got ran out of the service for going above and beyond his job! He was attacked personally and professionally in a smear campaign as was his family in an attempt to discredit his research. He suffered all this why? Because he told the truth, was he the only one “doing his job” why was nobody else bringing this to national and international attention? Probably because they were looking after number 1 unlike Tom
Probably not the ideal time to point out to a national security analyst, that a former Irish female soldier is due to return from Turkey in the next 24-72 hours and may well have passed information about our own armed forces to a terrorist organisation – something I think highly likely.
As for the content of the article, well I’m glad things have gone full circle for you. I bought your book when it came out initially. I’m also glad the military seems to have made substantial progress on equality and diversity.
@Perlum Sprite: So long as she hasn’t told them that we are running at less than 90% of our required numbers, that we have very few mine proof, armoured vehicles, small numbers of aircraft, very tiny navy, no primary air search radar, no counter submarine capability, a handful of drones and thus a limited reconnaissance capability, one of the largest oceanic territories in north western EU and the smallest military budget in the EU, nor where the keys to the target shed are, im sure that we’ll be fine.
@Ros Aodha: Well said.
@Perlum Sprite: im SO glad that u re glad
@Perlum Sprite: what military secrets could she tell them about our armed forces? We are a neutral country so don’t need much of a seen armed presence
Well done Tom. While I vehemently disagree with your pro NATO stance, I think your work on this issue deserves a lot of credit and admiration.
Still very much ongoing Tom.
Irish Air Corps recently bullied a long serving whistle-blower out of the service. Same whistle-blower had highlighted the ongoing unprotected toxic chemical exposure of personnel including pregnant females. He should have received a medal but instead was vilified.
Not only does the Air Corps punish whistle-blowers but they also are ACTIVELY bullying personnel injured by chemical exposure and treating such sick personnel as malingerers.
Hopefully the Vice Admiral will acknowledge the contribution to chemical Health & Safety made by Air Corps whistle-blowers…if he’s allowed. :)
While I had my reservations about the impact Tom’s report had on training recruits/ cadets, it is a harsh environment they are being trained for and harshness in training methodology needed to be exercised. The DF took it to heart and unfortunately it created other problems, some soldiers would complain about the simplest of commands given by an authority figure. It reduced effectiveness in a lot of case, as it meant that an NCO would have to institute disciplinary procedures against the individual instead of tearing them a new one there and then. Having said all that, it did remove the rampant bullying by certain personnel against those weaker members of the DF, who could then go on to become successful soldiers, sailors and air crew.
@Rob67: a good leader/manager can lead without humiliating people otherwise they shouldn’t be leading. Dont be making excuses for inexcusable behaviour.
@eileen boles: if you read my point, I don’t condone bullying in any shape or form. However, a soldier will undergo stress at some point and it is important to push the recruit to a controlled limit to get them to work beyond their normal level, be stressed and still be able to function in a clear and consistent manner. That is what you get from good training. Bullying undermines the individual and therefore is not good ground to build someone up, which good training will do. I don’t know if you ever served, but if you did and had a bad experience as a result, I can only offer my support and understanding, I’ve been at the wrong end but lucky enough to work my way through it and now lead my own team using everything I learned in the DF, including how not to be a bully but a leader.
@Rob67: u should re read your own post.
@eileen boles: I will pretend that I am utterly inept at subtlety and ask you to be a bit more specific.There is a fine line between pushing someone to the limit and bullying. A good NCO/ officer will always know the difference. I have trained people since I was 20 years old and still do to this day, I am happy to say that some of those I trained became NCO’s and in two cases, commissioned officers, I consider that some of my greatest professional achievements. My point was that the new reality in training led to a situation in some cases where Ptes were being treated with kid gloves because NCO’s were afraid to apply pressure. You need pressure to test the limits. Bullying is where an individual does not know or cares what the limit is and causes damage, that could not be allowed to continue. If you perceive that as condoning bullying, then I cannot help you in that regard.
Self praise is no praise.
@SF Knee Knockers: it’s better than none at all
@SF Knee Knockers: He is recounting his own personal experience . You just don’t recognize a good man when you see it
@SF Knee Knockers: but nowhere has he done so
If any organisation had treated me like that and then come back later to ingratiate themselves with me, I like to think I would tell them to get stuffed.
@Richard Barrett: im sure he gave it some thought & rightly so
Fair play to Michael Smith, I wouldn’t have been the biggest fan but had a lot to do with helping sort the deafness claims and now this, which I was unaware of his involvement initially. Compare that to recent behaviour by ministers etc in relation to whistle blowing elsewhere in certain services. Be interesting to hear Tom’s thoughts on this now he’s gone full circle.
He’s not really what one would call a whistleblower, he apparently didn’t witness these things first hand and report them, he wrote about conversations he had with the alleged victims, all of them he spoke to it appears, it begs the question ‘should women serve in the Military if they suck this shit up without aggressively resisting’? I sure as hell wouldn’t have had it nor would I have allowed it to occur to anyone in my presence when I served.
@Kieron King: A bit like Julianne Assange rotting in a high security prison in England. He didnt witness the murders carried out by the US army. He reported on them and is now waiting possible extradition to the US along with possible death penalty. Whistle blowers dont need to be first hand witnesses.
@DaMoons: Nowhere near the level of Assange, someone I respect, Assanges’ disclosures spoke for themselves, none of Clonans victim statements were subjected to any sort of scrutiny to ascertain their veracity, apart from his fellow academics saying it was great stuff. I won’t even begin to comment on his Lebanon memoirs.
@Kieron King: how do u know whether they “agressively resisted” or not?
@eileen boles: Because I served during that period, appears to have been the best kept secret of the day, I served at home and abroad with outstanding female Officers and Enlisted Troops, most of whom would have had ripped your tongue out of your face or your arm out of your socket depending on what type of grief you were giving them. Not quite sure who he spoke with, guess I didn’t know many of them.
@Kieron King: I have had the distinct honour of serving with some brilliant female soldiers, one of whom is now a general, she can definitely “suck it up” and can give as good back. She got there by being the best at what she did and deservedly so. In times gone by, some training NCO’s went too far, blinded by their animosity towards women in the army. Like any similar organisation, you had good and bad from both genders but some women were subjected to some of the worst kinds of bullying, which is well documented. Please remember, it happened to men too. It should not have happened but it did, the DF tried to rectify it and in some cases went too far and disrupted the balance needed to create proper military personnel.
@Rob67: I agree completely Rob, most of the bullying and bullshit that went on unchecked was gender neutral, I believe his submission is seriously flawed and was endorsed by academics who in reality had no idea how the arena he was assessing operated. I feel he did a major disservice to the majority of outstanding female troops that I know who stood their ground on equal terms with their male counterparts by portraying them as hiding in the corner keeping their mouths shut little fragile things. That is not a reflection of the female troops I served with at home and abroad. But hey, it made headlines.
Jesus some of the comments here be ex servicemen show that they still don’t care what went on, circle the wagons and try to discredit were the tactics used at the time to discredit this man’s work and they were that effective that they are still alive and well. One guy was saying he served with loads of women and never saw anything that wasn’t gender neutral. Well I went to mass every Sunday and served with many boys but never saw any child sexual abuse so by that man’s logic it just couldn’t have happened? Get your head our of your rears ex servicemen and show this man the respect he deserves for shining a light on the depraved conditions some female (and I’m sure male too but that wasn’t the point of hus reasearch) were forces to work in.
@Dino: with respect Dino I would suggest that you are the one with your head up your arse, had Clonan done his questioning five years before women had been allowed to serve in the Defence Forces with the equivalent amount of male subjects he would have come up with the same results including the rape allegations. To suggest that everything he ‘discovered’ only applied to females in the Defence Forces is nonsense, it was how things were done long before women were allowed to serve. But hey, his one sided unsubstantiated investigation was endorsed by ‘Academics’. Jog on.
So, is the Defence Forces going to say sorry to us females that endured sexual harrassment?
@Karina Molloy: the DF hierarchy have a tendency to never apologise for past wrongs no matter who was in the wrong, sadly. Having said that that, if a wrong was committed against, you should seek redress against the individual(s) and the Dept concerned. It would be even better if a group of female soldiers, who had been harassed and abused, got together and took their cases to the courts, the evidence of an issue exists in Tom’s document and I am sure there would be evidence elsewhere within the Dept.
So Tom, are you going to get the Defence Forces to apologise to all the females thhat were harassed??
@Karina Molloy: all u can hope is that theyll do the right thing & set an example to society. Tom did a grt job highlighting the problem.
It looks like a trip on the feminist Bandwagon. Canny move for an aspiring academic.
@John Lynch: u keep feeling sorry for yourself along with the rest of the delicate flowers.
So, Tom, are you going to get the Defence Forces to apologise to all the females that were harassed?
have your say