The death toll from relentless floods triggered by heavy rains in Spain's eastern Valencia region has risen to 62, emergency services announced on Wednesday.
\"New toll produced by the various security and emergency forces: provisional figure of 62 fatal victims,\" the regional emergency coordination body stated on X.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez appealed to the public to remain vigilant as rescue operations continue and committed to \"not abandon\" the disaster's victims, underscoring the scale of the tragedy rarely witnessed in the country.
\"For those who at this moment are still looking for their loved ones, the whole of Spain weeps with you,\" Sanchez declared in a televised address. \"To the villages and cities destroyed by this tragedy, I say the same: Together, we will rebuild your streets, your squares, your bridges.\"
Carlos Mazon, regional leader of Valencia, a key agricultural hub in Spain, reported that some individuals remain isolated in inaccessible areas. \"If emergency services have not arrived, it's not due to a lack of means or predisposition, but a problem of access,\" Mazon stated at a press conference, adding that reaching certain locales was \"absolutely impossible\".
Transport disruptions include canceled trains to Madrid and Barcelona, while schools and essential services remain suspended in the hardest-hit zones, officials affirmed.
Spain has been grappling with heavy rain and fierce winds since the week began, leading to widespread flooding in the eastern Valencia and southern Andalusia regions.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
