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Floods in Spain: the race against time for emergency services to find survivors

Although the provisional toll is still close to one hundred victims, dozens of people are still missing in rural areas, which are more difficult to access for the thousands of rescue workers and mobilized soldiers.

“We never lose hope.” The still provisional balance of the sudden floods that affected the southeast of Spain between Tuesday, October 29 and Wednesday, October 30 stands at 95 deaths this Thursday, October 31. But dozens of people remain missing, especially in remote towns around the city of Valencia.

Currently, 1,500 police and 1,000 soldiers supported by helicopters are still trying to find survivors in this area. The current balance, the highest since the floods that left 300 dead in October 1973 in the country, should “increase” in the coming hours, the government warned.

a difficult job

On the ground, the work of rescuers is extremely difficult. In addition to towns or houses that are difficult to access due to the steep terrain, many streets in the most affected municipalities are full of vehicles, trees, concrete blocks and debris of all kinds, which significantly slows down the progress of relief efforts.

We must use “public works means to clean all this, try to find some life,” Éric Broccardi, spokesperson for the French National Firefighters Federation, tells BFMTV.

In Letur, a town of just over 900 inhabitants and one of the most affected by bad weather, every minute counts to find possible survivors. “It seems that people have disappeared. At least six, we still don’t know exactly,” said lifeguard José Antonio Felipe, still on BFMTV.

“The more hours pass, the more difficult it is to find them alive, but we never lose hope,” he insists.

As announced by several Spanish media, including El Mundo, the search resumed early this Thursday in the surroundings of Letur. Currently, 150 soldiers follow the local trend in search of five missing people. They are supported by a helicopter, three drones and dogs specialized in searching for people.

External help

In the faces of the rescuers you can see fatigue, disappointment and sadness as lifeless bodies are found among the rubble. In Utiel, another town hit hard by flash floods, a firefighter is forced to probe a newly formed muddy water hole in search of a possible body.

To support the 2,500 men still mobilized on the ground, many European countries have offered their help. On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron spoke of France’s “solidarity” and “availability” to help in relief efforts and, this Thursday, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that Paris had offered help to Spain and announces that 250 French firefighters “are ready to intervene.” .”

Author: Hugo Septier
Source: BFM TV

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