Valencia in crisis over 200 victims after catastrophic flood

  • WorldScope
  • |
  • 01 November 2024
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In Valencia, search operations to find any survivors continue, three days after the devastating flood caused by Dana. The death toll has surpassed 200 and the situation remains critical, with around 366,000 people without access to drinking water and 50,000 without electricity. Controversy persists over the delay in issuing the alert. Firefighters found victims trapped inside 30-40 vehicles in a tunnel. Due to the tragedy, the MotoGP Grand Prix scheduled in Valencia from 15 to 17 November has been cancelled.

The State Meteorological Agency has issued a red warning for heavy rain in the coastal areas of Huelva and in the areas of Arévalo and Condado until 3 p.m. The 112 emergency service has urged people to avoid traveling to the region, warning of the need for extreme caution in Huelva. The lack of water, due to burst pipes caused by the flood, has prevented the cleaning of dried mud in some municipalities.

Currently, over 1,200 soldiers are deployed, with another 500 to be added, to support relief operations in the region. The priority is to provide essential goods such as water, food and medicine to the affected populations.

Among the victims was José Castillejo Belinchón, a 28-year-old former footballer from Valencia. The local club expressed its condolences for his death. The Minister of Defense told national television that many people could still be alive in the lower floors of homes or in garages, while there were reports of piled-up vehicles that could contain more victims.

There are no Italian citizens among those who lost their lives in the flood; the Italian embassy in Spain has activated a task force to manage any emergencies or reports from concerned families.

Amid the devastation, migrants are preparing food for those in need on the streets of Picanya, one of the places most affected by the flood. Coming from countries as diverse as Afghanistan and Syria, these migrants decided to use food from the flooded hotel where they were living to feed those who lost everything.

More than eighty kilometers of roads have been damaged and the Minister of Transport has said it will take about ten days to restore the A7 motorway. In rail transport, the Madrid-Valencia high-speed line will be restored in two to three weeks, but it will take time to rebuild the destroyed regional lines. It has not yet been possible to establish alternative plans for commuters until the road infrastructure is fully restored.

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