Eastern Spain has been hit with devastating flash flooding this week, the worst flooding disaster the area has experienced in decades.
Rainstorms started on Tuesday (29 October) and continued into Wednesday. In the aftermath of the floods, cars have been piled on the street surrounded by a sea of debris from damaged buildings and structures.
At least 95 people have lost their lives after the flooding swept through streets, turning walkways into rivers and trapping people in their homes and on car roofs.
It is the worst flood-related catastrophe Spain has witnessed since at least 1996, when 87 people died and 180 were injured in a flash flood near Biescas in the Pyrenees.
The rain has battered the eastern region of Spain, hitting holiday hotspots such as Valencia to Malaga.
Here is the latest on the situation in Spain and what you need to know about travel.
What happened?
Torrential rain, which has amounted to a year’s worth in just eight hours in one region, has hit cities such as Valencia and Malaga, causing serious flash flooding.
At least 95 people have died, with the death toll expected to rise as the search continues for dozens of missing people. As search and rescue teams try and locate many who are unaccounted for, more rain is also predicted to be on its way in some of the worst-affected areas.
On Wednesday (31 October), 70 air evacuations and 200 ground rescues were carried out in Valencia, as the regional leader of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, also announced that they are going to launch an aid package of €250m as local authorities begin to try and clean up the destruction on the roads as services are restored.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that Valencia is to be declared a disaster zone following the deadly flash.
Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also said the official crisis level has been raised to level two.
What does it mean?
Travel may be affected in areas of Spain where stormy weather continues.
Aena, Spain’s airport group, said on Thursday that if you are planning on flying from Valencia Airport, they recommend that you contact your airline to find out the status of your flight and check the road conditions from official sources, as some routes may be impacted.
At Valencia airport, there were 30 diversions and 49…
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