After heavy rains caused flash floods in southern and eastern Spain, seven individuals are reported missing, leading to significant disruptions in rail and air travel, according to officials.
Images aired on Spanish television displayed torrents of floodwaters engulfing the town of Letur in the eastern province of Albacete, with vehicles being swept through the streets.
Emergency services, assisted by drones, are searching for six missing individuals in this town, as stated by the central government’s representative for the Castilla-La Mancha region during a segment on Spanish public television TVE.
“Finding these individuals is our top priority,” she emphasized.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his concern over the reports of missing persons and the storm’s impact, stating on X, “I am closely monitoring the situation.” He urged the public to heed the authorities’ guidance.
“Exercise extreme caution and avoid unnecessary travel,” he added.
Due to severe rain and strong winds, twelve flights initially scheduled to arrive at Valencia airport were redirected to other cities, according to the Spanish airport operator Aena.
Additionally, ten flights intended to depart from or arrive at the airport were canceled.
The national rail infrastructure operator, ADIF, announced the suspension of high-speed trains between Madrid and the eastern port of Valencia due to the storm’s effects on key rail network points in the Valencia region, lasting “at least” until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
A high-speed train carrying 276 passengers derailed in the southern region of Andalusia, but fortunately, there were no injuries reported, according to a statement from the regional government.
Emergency services conducted rescues of numerous individuals in Alora, Andalusia, some using helicopters, as a river overflowed.
The state weather agency AEMET has issued a red alert for the Valencia region and a second-highest alert level for parts of Andalusia.
Many roads in both regions have been rendered impassable due to flooding.
