Five people killed by torrential rains infesting Spain – News

The interim record of severe floods in a large swath of southeastern Spain following a meteorological episode known as the "cold fall" in the region is still compromised.

Unprecedented rains in some areas, with more than 400 liters per square meter in 48 hours, caused Thursday overflows of rivers and waterways that caused the collapse of large areas of Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Almería, Granada and Albacete. the agency explained EFE

For the four victims reported, a fifth occurred on Friday.

The Civil Guard found the body of a 58-year-old man in an area of ​​Orihuela flooded by the overflow of the Segura River. It is thought that he could be dragged into the water when he parked his car and attempted to cross the street.

The Segura River, the largest in the region, has overflowed in some places and it is thought that it may also be in the region of the city of Murcia, where about half a million people live.

The mayors of small towns called on the authorities to rescue their neighbors from isolated neighborhoods or villages trapped at home.

In addition, military units work in different areas and participate in rescue and rescue operations.

It is estimated that at least 3,500 people were evacuated from their homes in southeastern Spain.

Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of the Interior, requested that travel to the affected area be reduced as much as possible and that the population be kept informed of weather forecasts and comply with authorities.

Communications are also heavily affected: one of the country's main roads, the AP-7, was cut off at several places and in a tunnel it was necessary to enter with boats to rescue the drivers blocked.

In addition, more than 80 national and secondary roads are cut and some 700,000 students are out of school in Valencia alone.

The airports of Almeria and Murcia have been closed, but those of Barcelona and Palma have also been temporarily badigned.

Several ports in the region have also been closed.

Authorities in the Murcia region have urged the population not to travel by car because the situation is "dramatic", according to the president of the region, Fernando López Miras.

The economic impacts of these floods "will be very hard," warned the president of the Valencia region, Ximo Puig.

The National Meteorological Agency (AEMM) is maintaining the red alert in some areas of the south-east, as it plans to continue to receive rainfall and move to the south of the country and the Balearic Islands.

Adrián Cragnolini report.