Over 50 killed, dozens missing Spain floods

KABUL (Pajhwok): More than 50 people have lost their lives in heavy rain and flash floods in south-eastern Spain, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

Dozens of individuals went missing in the wake of heavy rain and hailstorms, causing fierce flooding across several regions.

It was “impossible” at the moment to put an exact number on the final death toll, said the president of the Valencia region, Carlós Mazón.

Floodwaters swept away bridges and dragged cars through the streets, as desperate residents clung to trees.

The Chiva area in the Valencia region received 491mm of rain in eight hours on Tuesday – equal to a year’s rain.

Amid rescue efforts, people trapped in flooded areas and those searching for loved ones called radio and TV stations for help.

Drones were being used to search for the missing in the badly affected municipality of Letur, local official Milagros Tolon was quoted as saying.

According to local media, scores of people in Valencia spent the night stranded in trucks or cars, as well as on rooftops and bridges.

A red alert had been declared in the Valencia region and the second-highest level of alert in parts of Andalusia, the state weather agency said.

Several flights scheduled to land in Valencia were diverted to other cities. Some flights had to be cancelled and train services suspended.

PAN Monitor/mud