UTIEL, Spain: Rescue teams on Thursday, Oct 31, found eight bodies trapped in a garage after flash floods devastated eastern Spain. The death toll in the Valencia region alone has reached 158. The Spain flood disaster has overwhelmed response efforts, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated aid and preventive measures. #SpainFloodDisaster
Local authorities have not disclosed the number of people still unaccounted for after Europe’s deadliest floods in years. Defense Minister Margarita Robles warned that the national death toll could be even higher.
Opposition politicians criticized the central government in Madrid for responding slowly to warn residents and deploy rescue teams. The Interior Ministry, however, stated that regional authorities handle civil protection. Valencia Mayor Maria Jose Catala reported that a local policeman was among those found drowned in a garage in La Torre. A 45-year-old woman was also discovered dead in her home nearby.
“Those people wouldn’t have died if they had been warned in time,” Laura Villaescusa, a neighbour and manager of a local supermarket, told Reuters.
Meteorologists reported that on Tuesday, parts of Valencia experienced a year’s worth of rain in just eight hours.
The floods severely damaged Valencia’s infrastructure, destroying bridges, roads, and rail tracks while submerging farmland. This area produces about two-thirds of Spain’s citrus, making it a significant global orange exporter.
On Thursday, thousands of people with bags and shopping trolleys crossed a pedestrian bridge over the Turia River from La Torre to Valencia city center to gather essentials like toilet paper and water. Maribel Albalat, mayor of nearby Paiporta, said they received no warning of the flood risk and confirmed that 62 people had died in her town. #SpainFloodDisaster
“We found a lot of elderly people inside their homes and people who went to get their cars. It was a trap,” she told TVE.
Coordinated Response and Recovery Efforts in Spain Flood Disaster
Furthermore, local officials are working tirelessly to locate missing residents, with rescue teams uncovering several bodies trapped in flooded garages. Meanwhile, residents are gathering essential supplies as recovery efforts unfold. Some locals argue that advanced warnings were insufficient, contributing to the high loss of life and property. This disaster stands among Europe’s worst, raising questions about preparedness for future storms.
