Storms Still Batter Spain as Search for Missing People Continues
Flooding in the Industrial Zone of Barcelona, Nov. 4, 2024. X/ @aleexFCB_
November 4, 2024 Hour: 7:35 am
So far, provisional oficial figures acknowledge 210 fatalities in Valencia, 3 in the Castilla-La Mancha region, and one in Andalusia.
On Monday, although the worst of the storm seems to have finally left the Valencian Community, storms continue in the Mediterranean area and will persist in the coming days.
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Spanish authorities are continuing to organize relief efforts, clearing debris, and searching for missing persons. So far, provisional official figures report a total of 210 fatalities in the province of Valencia, along with three in the Castilla-La Mancha region and one in Andalusia.
In Catalonia, several areas are under an “orange” alert today. Authorities have sent alerts to the mobile phones of people in the Baix Llobregat region of Barcelona. Rodalies rail service has been suspended, and Barcelona’s El Prat Airport is experiencing widespread delays.
More Military Personnel and More Civil Guard Officers
On Monday, emergency services resumed efforts in areas affected by the devastating floods. The Spanish Navy’s Galicia vessel has already arrived in Valencia with over 100 marines, trucks carrying food and water, support materials, and two helicopters, adding to the 7,500 military personnel and numerous rescue and emergency teams working in the area.
The Civil Guard has also increased its presence to over 5,000 officers, with personnel from various command posts across Spain, who report having carried out more than 36,000 rescues and assists for people in towns and on roads and have detained 35 individuals for looting-related offenses.
As efforts to locate missing persons intensify from early in the day, with a focus on the underground parking lots of some shopping centers, work also continues to try to restore normalcy to communication infrastructures as soon as possible. However, several roads in the provinces of Valencia and Castellon remain closed and impassable.
Valencia began the week without classes—in both schools and universities—and with a call for telecommuting where possible. After the long weekend for the November 1 holiday, which encouraged thousands of people to volunteer their help, the number of volunteers has now significantly decreased.
Castellon, Tarragona, and Barcelona woke up to an “orange” alert level early this morning due to expected heavy rainfall, with accumulations of up to 50 liters per square meter in one hour and 150 liters over twelve hours. Hours later, however, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) declared the meteorological crisis over following the storm’s passage through the Valencian Community.
Mobile Alerts
Civil Protection has sent an alert to mobile phones in Baix Llobregat, Catalonia, due to the ongoing torrential rain currently falling over this area of Barcelona, expected to continue for the next hour. It has advised citizens to exercise extreme caution, avoid unnecessary travel, and stay away from riverbeds and ravines.
The Rodalies rail service in Catalonia has been completely suspended across the region due to heavy rainfall, and Renfe has reported that only trains already in transit will continue their routes to reach their destinations.
Barcelona’s El Prat Airport is also experiencing widespread delays due to the severe storm affecting the area, and last night an order was issued to restrict truck traffic to and from Valencia—they are only permitted to operate between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.—a restriction that does not affect essential supply transports.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
