Barcelona hit by new flood as rescuers search Valencia basement car park

The Spanish metropolis of Barcelona was hit by flooding on Monday, as search and rescue efforts proceed following devastating flooding round Valencia final week.

Spain’s state meteorological company has positioned components of Catalonia on purple alert for torrential rain, with native media exhibiting footage of automobiles partially submerged on a freeway.

Components of the Barcelona’s El Prat airport, the second largest within the nation, have been flooded. Greater than 80 flights have been cancelled or delayed, whereas rail companies have been suspended.

An analogous climate occasion, which hit the Valencia area with a yr’s price of rain final week, has triggered at the least 217 deaths. On Monday, rescuers targeted their efforts on trying to find lacking individuals in underground automobile parks.

The storm caught many victims of their automobiles on roads and in underground areas, resembling automobile parks, tunnels and garages, the place rescue operations are notably tough.

It’s feared customers and staff have been trapped contained in the automobile park at a shopping center in Aldaia, on the outskirts of Valencia, as floodwater overwhelmed the world.

Police have confirmed that no victims have been situated within the first 50 automobiles inspected on the web site.

However studies recommend these automobiles have been discovered close to the doorway to the automobile park, with a lot of the remainder of it nonetheless submerged and but to be explored.

Among the many useless have been a British couple of their 70s, whose household confirmed that they had been discovered useless of their automobile days after the flash floods hit Valencia. To date no deaths have been reported in Catalonia.

On Monday morning, Spain’s inside minister refused to say what number of have been nonetheless lacking.

European soccer physique Uefa mentioned a minute’s silence can be held at membership competitors matches “in reminiscence of the victims” and people impacted by the floods. Actual Madrid and Barcelona FC are as a consequence of play on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Exterior the Bonaire shopping center in Aldaia, rotting piles of particles lined the roads whereas noisy turbines pumped water from the mall automobile park.

Spanish police have been utilizing drones to get an preliminary view of the within, a police spokesperson mentioned.

When the BBC requested an area police officer how for much longer the operation would take, he mentioned he couldn’t give an estimate, however that groups would keep so long as crucial.

As is the case in lots of components of the area which have been devastated by the floods, there’s a vacuum of knowledge.

There was anger at a perceived lack of warning and inadequate assist from authorities after the floods.

On Sunday, the king and queen of Spain have been pelted with mud and different objects by offended protesters throughout a go to to the city of Paiporta – one of many worst-affected within the Valencia area.

Objects have been additionally thrown at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was rapidly evacuated.

The Civil Guard has opened an investigation into the chaotic scenes, Inside Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska advised public broadcaster TVE.

He blamed “marginal teams” for instigating the violence the place mud spattered the monarchs’ face and garments.

In a information convention on Monday, the chief of Spain’s Army Emergencies Unit (UME) mentioned it had pre-deployed 500 troops to Valencia so they may start working as quickly as they have been authorised to.

Normal Francisco Javier Marcos mentioned that when he noticed the state of affairs worsen, he despatched alerts to 1,000 troopers, who travelled in a single day “in order that by daybreak the subsequent day, individuals of Valencia may see that the armed forces have been there”.

He added: “You may say we did not intervene quickly. The climate prevented that partially, and secondly, it was a matter of order and self-discipline.

“You may say that does not justify being gradual – effectively look, you possibly can’t convey extra chaos to an already very chaotic state of affairs.”

Native authorities in Valencia have prolonged journey restrictions for one more two days to facilitate the work of the emergency companies, cancelled college courses and urged individuals to earn a living from home.

Gen Marcos mentioned gridlock on some roads was making it laborious to distribute meals to the 69 affected municipalities.

He mentioned that the variety of troops on the bottom had been “scaled up” – with 7,800 due by 20:00 native time (19:00 GMT) on Monday. These have been being supported by 17,000 volunteers and 5,000 military troopers providing logistical assist, he mentioned.

A warship carrying 104 marine infantry troopers in addition to vehicles with meals and water docked in Valencia’s port on Monday.

Gen Marcos mentioned the UME was “doing every thing we will”, together with working double shifts.

He added: “We have to be disciplined and we have to be affected person. I do know that is laborious, as a result of ache and emotion signifies that’s not straightforward.”

In Catalonia, the Ministry for Ecology mentioned that the State Meteorological Company (Aemet) had issued a purple alert because of the “excessive hazard” of torrential rains.

Aemet is warning that as much as 8cm of rain may fall throughout coastal areas into Tuesday morning – however that localised downpours may result in “very completely different” accumulations between close by cities.

The flooding in Valencia was brought on by a Dana phenomenon – when heat, moist air meets chilly air, creating an unstable climate system.

Scientists say the consequences of local weather change made the floods worse.

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