The tragedy of the devastating floods in the southeastern part of Spain, especially in Valencia, continues to intensify: according to the latest reports, there are already 211 dead victims of the natural disaster, and the authorities are searching for hundreds of missing persons.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was at the scene, increased the teams involved in the rescue work with an additional 10,000 people – 5,000 soldiers and 5,000 policemen.
Already in the rescue more than two thousand soldiers and 4,500 members of the Civil Guard, as well as nearly 1,800 policemen, are participatingwho have saved more than 4,500 lives so far. The aim of the rescuers is to search for people who are still missing, assess the damage and restore traffic.
The consequences of the natural disaster are dramatic: cities are covered in mud, streets and buildings are in ruins, and the communication infrastructure has completely ceased in some places.
The biggest challenge is the isolated settlements, where people have been unable to communicate with the outside world for days
– mondta Susana Camarerovice president of the Valencia region, according to whom the volunteers delivered a significant amount of food and water to the most needy settlements.
The difficult situation is further aggravated by prolonged rains. The National Meteorological Service predicts further heavy rains in the province of Castellón, which was placed under an orange warning on Saturday.
More rainfall is expected to cause further problems for rescue efforts as locals angrily hold authorities accountable for delays in forecasting and warnings.
The floods not only increased the weight of the natural disaster, but also public safety problems came to the fore. Taking advantage of the chaos, several people started stealing and looting. The police have so far detained dozens of suspects, many of whom have been placed in temporary custody.
Despite the tragic events, the cooperation of the locals and volunteers is exemplary. On Saturday, several thousand people gathered again in Valencia, armed with shovels and brooms, to go to the nearby settlements and help with the damage control. Seeing the unity, the authorities asked the volunteers to stay at home if possible and not to block the routes vital for the rescue units.
The Spanish government continues to treat as a priority the elimination of the consequences of the flood and the support of the region, where one of the most serious natural disasters of the last decades is taking place.
Rescue operations continue, but experts warn that the death toll may rise even further.
Cover photo: Volunteers also take part in the rescue work on November 2, 2024, after the deadly floods in Sedavi, south of Valencia in eastern Spain (Photo: AFP)
Source: magyarnemzet.hu
