The Spanish authorities have issued the highest weather warning for the southwestern coast of the country, as storms that have wreaked havoc in the Valencia region continue to pose threats to lives and communities.
Last night, Taoiseach Simon Harris communicated with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, expressing Ireland’s deep horror and sorrow at the tragic loss of life resulting from the disaster.
As the residents of Valencia assess the damage from the devastating flash floods earlier this week, the Spanish meteorological agency has declared a red alert for the province of Huelva, located next to the Portuguese border on the southwestern coast.
Watch – The aftermath of the deadly floods that struck Valencia earlier this week:
The town of Huelva, along with several other municipalities, experienced flooding this morning.
In the early hours, nearby towns recorded up to 100 litres of water per square metre.
The agency has also issued orange alerts for the islands of Mallorca and Menorca, as well as for the northern coast and northern interior regions.
As Spain approaches a holiday weekend, authorities have urged citizens to refrain from traveling to the Balearic islands, Catalonia, Andalusia, Valencia, or Extremadura.
Search and rescue teams have persistently looked for missing persons.
So far, 158 fatalities have been confirmed, with 155 of those occurring in the Valencia region.
The death toll is predicted to rise as emergency services access towns and villages that have been cut off.
During a phone call with his Spanish counterpart last night, Taoiseach Simon Harris remarked on the heartbreaking stories of loss and injury, assuring that Ireland would provide any assistance it could, including through EU resources.
Last night, teams continued their search for bodies in stranded vehicles and waterlogged buildings while residents salvaged what they could from their destroyed homes.
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The devastation caused by the storm late Tuesday and early Wednesday resembled the aftermath of a tsunami, as survivors struggled to gather the remnants of their lives while grieving for their lost loved ones.
Cars were stacked upon one another like fallen dominoes, with uprooted trees, downed power lines, and household items submerged in mud that blanketed the streets of numerous communities in Valencia, a region south of Barcelona along the Mediterranean coast.
An unknown number of individuals remain missing, and further victims may still be discovered.
Read more: ‘We’re surrounded by water’ – Irish teacher near Valencia, Spain floods a ‘sudden, catastrophic experience for many’, Why have Spanish floods claimed so many lives?
Spain’s Mediterranean coast typically encounters autumn storms that can lead to flooding, but this event was the most significant flash flood in recent history.
Scientists attribute its severity to climate change, which is also contributing to rising temperatures, prolonged droughts in Spain, and the warming of the Mediterranean Sea.
Human-induced climate change has doubled the likelihood of a storm similar to this week’s deluge in Valencia, according to a rapid yet partial analysis by World Weather Attribution, consisting of numerous international scientists examining global warming’s impact on extreme weather.
Spain has endured nearly two years of drought, resulting in hardened ground that was unable to absorb the rain, consequently leading to flash floods.
This violent weather phenomenon took regional government officials by surprise.
Spain’s national weather service reported that the town of Chiva received more rainfall in eight hours than it had in the previous 20 months combined.
Greenhouses and farms across southern Spain, known as Europe’s garden for its exported produce, also suffered extensive damage from heavy rains and flooding.
