More than 50 people dead in devastating Valencia floods, including children and babies
Torrential rains have wreaked havoc in parts of Spain, prompting rescue efforts and public warnings
(15:20 h) 📹Imágenes que muestran la situación en la que se encuentra en estos momentos el barrio La Fuente en Utiel.
— Emergències 112CV (@GVA112) October 29, 2024
➡️Se acaba de establecer la situación 2 por lluvias del Plan Especial de Inundaciones en la comarca de la Plana de Utiel-Requena.
➡️Se ha cursado la solicitud… pic.twitter.com/UhHiQjFYdc
Floods triggered by the DANA weather phenomenon have left at least dozens of people dead in Valencia, including several children and babies, with the death toll as confirmed by the Civil Guard’s Emergency Operations this Wednesday October 30 continuing to rise.
As of 12pm this Wednesday, the death toll has been stated to be at least 62 people, with dozens more still missing. It is the most destructive and deadly storm the Valencian Community has experienced since records began.
In the town of Paiporta, where severe rainfall has destroyed a bridge, the bodies of four victims were discovered, while five fatalities were recorded in Torrent.
Additional casualties have been reported in the towns of Chiva, Cheste, Alfafar and Alcudia, with one victim in each location.
This morning, the Es-Alert public warning system issued an urgent message to all mobile phones in the province, advising residents to avoid any form of road travel as a safety measure in light of ongoing heavy rainfall.
📲Desde el inicio del #temporaldeLevante #Dana ayer hasta esta tarde se han recibido medio millar de llamadas al teléfono de emergencias 112.
— Emergències 112CV (@GVA112) October 29, 2024
📹Imágenes de la dimensión del temporal en muchas zonas de la comarca Utiel-Requena, donde la fuerza del agua ha arrastrado a su paso… pic.twitter.com/cN4uBt9egy
Carlos Mazón, President of the Generalitat Valenciana, announced the activation of the “multiple victims procedure” in response to the severity of the flooding, particularly in the hardest-hit areas around Valencia.
Although Mazón himself did not provide an official fatality count, he reiterated the importance of keeping roads clear to aid emergency responders and allow unobstructed access for rescue operations.
Flooding has also disrupted telecommunications and electricity across large portions of the province, hampering communication and response times. In response, Valencia’s emergency services have mobilised a large-scale operation involving multiple agencies, working closely to address the crisis and prioritise rescues.
Meanwhile, in Letur (Albacete) another emergency response is underway as search teams, including 150 personnel and specialised drones equipped with night-vision cameras, continue to search for six people reported missing after severe flooding struck on Tuesday.
¡Tremendas las imágenes que nos llegan de Letur! 😢
— Plataforma en Defensa de las Fuentes (@Defensa_Fuentes) October 29, 2024
Pero este no es un problema nuevo, sino un problema recurrente (aunque esta vez especialmente grave).
Así que toca abrir hilo 🧵 y explicar lo ocurrido 👇🏼pic.twitter.com/0rX2zWfNCE
Heavy machinery arrived in the town early on Wednesday morning to help clear debris left by the flood, with more favourable weather conditions aiding the search efforts. Pedro Antonio Ruiz Santos, delegate of the Junta in Albacete, expressed hope that the improved weather would help search teams restore some order to the area as they continue their search for the missing.
Even as heavy rains and flooding devastate the area, these same parts of southern and eastern Spain have rallied to lobby the EU for funds to deal with their ongoing severe drought situation.
For now, the situation remains critical across the affected areas, with local authorities and emergency services urging the public to exercise caution, avoid travel and stay updated on official channels for further alerts.
Images: Emergències 112CV
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