Climate
Spain: More than 95 deaths, floods and total disaster after climate phenomenon
The European country will allocate 250 million in aid for the catastrophe and 6,000 euros for each affected person, the authorities said
October 31, 2024 11:34am
Updated: October 31, 2024 11:44am
This Thursday morning, the search work for missing people resumed in Valencia, Spain, after major floods claimed the lives of at least 92 people. According to local media reports, another three have died in Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.
In what has largely been considered the most significant disaster suffered by the European country in recent years, 1,000 troops from Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit participate, as well as thousands of agents from the Civil Guard, Firefighters and the Police have responded to the crisis.
However, dozens of people are still reported to be missing, and others without signs of life.
Carlos Mazón, the president of the Valencian Generalitat, which is the area most affected by the climate phenomenon, has also announced this Oct. 31 an aid plan through which the community will allocate 250 million euros, including 6,000 euros of direct aid to each victim, as well as transportation bonuses and support for housing rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, the DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) remains active, and this Thursday the State Meteorological Agency has launched a red level warning, the maximum, in the north of the province of Castellón, due to rains of more than 180 l/ m².
Orange warning alerts remain active in the south of Tarragona and yellow in much of Catalonia and in the southwest of the Peninsula, where the provinces of Cádiz, Huelva and Seville are in Andalusia and throughout Extremadura.
To date, Spain has reported that thousands of electricity customers are still without power in their homes and the material damage is incalculable, local newspapers say.
Social media networks have reported that many roads closed in the province of Valencia, where thousands of cars are stranded, washed away by the waters.
In addition, the high-speed train service between Madrid, the Valencian Community and the Mediterranean corridor to Barcelona and other nearby places is suspended.
This Thursday, President Pedro Sánchez, and other leaders arrived in the affected area, who, like the rest of the country's authorities, have regretted the situation, and have committed to focusing Spain's efforts on recovering normality in the shortest possible time after the passage of the lethal storm.
Several messages of solidarity with Spain have come from the EU and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has stated that "Europe is ready to help."