The city of Barcelona, on Monday, faced severe flooding, as search and rescue efforts continued in the wake of last week’s devastating floods in the Valencia region.
Spain’s state meteorological agency has issued a red alert for parts of Catalonia due to torrential rain, with local media broadcasting images of cars partially submerged on highways.
Flooding has also affected parts of El Prat airport, Spain’s second largest, leading to the cancellation or delay of more than 80 flights and the suspension of rail services.
The Valencia region experienced a similar weather event last week, receiving a year’s worth of rain, resulting in at least 217 fatalities. On Monday, rescuers concentrated their efforts on locating missing persons in underground car parks.
Many victims were trapped in their vehicles on roads and in underground locations such as car parks, tunnels, and garages, complicating rescue operations. There are fears that shoppers and workers may have been trapped inside the car park at a shopping mall in Aldaia, near Valencia, as floodwaters inundated the area.
Police have confirmed that no victims were found in the first 50 vehicles inspected at the site. However, these vehicles were located near the car park entrance, with much of the area still submerged and unexplored.
Spain’s interior minister declined to specify the number of people still missing on Monday morning.
Outside the Bonaire shopping mall in Aldaia, piles of debris lined the streets while generators pumped water from the car park. Spanish police utilised drones to gain an initial view of the interior, a police spokesperson stated.
There has been public anger over perceived inadequate warnings and insufficient support from authorities following the floods.
On Sunday, the king and queen of Spain were pelted with mud and other objects by angry protesters during a visit to Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit towns in the Valencia region.
Objects were also thrown at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was swiftly evacuated.
The Civil Guard has launched an investigation into the chaotic incidents, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told public broadcaster TVE. He attributed the violence to “marginal groups” whose actions resulted in mud splattering the monarchs’ faces and clothes.
During a news conference on Monday, the chief of Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME) said it had pre-deployed 500 troops to Valencia to begin work as soon as authorised.
General Francisco Javier Marcos stated that upon observing the worsening situation, he alerted 1,000 soldiers who travelled overnight “so that by dawn the next day, people of Valencia could see that the armed forces were there.”
He added, “You might say we didn’t intervene rapidly. The weather prevented that partially, and secondly, it was a matter of order and discipline.
“You might say that doesn’t justify being slow – well look, you can’t bring more chaos to an already very chaotic situation.”
Frances Ibiefo
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