Spanish Province Huelva on High Alert as Severe Storms Persist
The Spanish province Huelva is now on high alert after the storm has caused massive devastation in the Valencia region.
Spanish authorities have launched the highest weather warnings for the southeastern coast after the storm threatened the lives of the people of Valencia and destroyed their communities.
Simon Harris expressed grief to Spanish PM
Taoiseach Simon Harris spoke to Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchex last night. He expressed his distress upon the disaster the severe storms have created across the Valencia region. He also expressed grief at the loss of lives.
In his phone call with the Spanish PM, Simon Harris told him that the stories that he has been hearing about the loss of people’s lives were heartbreaking. He ensured that Ireland would provide support in whatever area Spain was in need of, particularly for EU structures.
The Spanish PM thanked the people of Ireland for all the support and urged his own people to stay at home. He said that right now, the priority is to save as many lives as possible, and for that, it is necessary not to travel over the weekend, especially towards the coastline.
The King of Spain ordered to stay safe
The King of Spain, King Felipe VI, said that emergency alerts are not over yet and people should not think that if floods and storms have passed from a region, they will not come back.
He advised that the regions that the Spanish weather agency AEMET had put red, orange and yellow alerts on should stay vigilant, specifically for eastern and southern regions.
A few minutes of national silence was observed when flags on the official buildings were hoisted. It was done at the start of three days of mourning for the devastation that Spain’s deadliest storm has created in decades.
High alert for Spanish province Huelva
Earlier this week, the people of Valencia were still counting the loss of lives they’ve seen in the region after flash floods. A high alert has also been issued by the Spanish meteorological office for the Spanish province Huelva, which is situated on the southwest coast near the Portuguese border.
Spanish province Huelva has already started to flood since early this morning. Other municipalities are also reported to be filled with flood water alongside Huelva.
The early hours of morning came with the news of nearby towns being filled with at least 100 litres of water per square metre.
Over the weekend, the weather agency of Spain had predicted 140 mm of rainfall within a 12-hour period from Friday, 1 November. Valencia and other neighbouring regions would see 50 mm of rainfall in less than one hour, the agency said.
According to the weather experts, Valencia alone on Tuesday received eight hours of rain, which is equivalent to a year’s worth of rainfall in Spain.
Orange warnings for severe storms in other areas
The agency has issued orange alerts for the islands of Menorca and Mallorca and a red alert for Huelva. The orange alert is also set for the northern interior and northern coast.
Spain is now facing a holiday weekend. The agency has warned people not to travel to Catalonia, Andalusia, Extremadura, Valencia and the Balearic Islands.
The Spanish destruction and search mission
The authorities have confirmed the death of 158 people. 155 of them were from the Valencia region.
The death toll is predicted to climb higher as floods have cut off towns and villages from the mainlands, suspending emergency services for the locals.
The search crews are now on a hunt from last night for bodies who might have been stranded in cars and dooms of houses. The sudden buildings were thoroughly searched as residents were trying to search for their beloved belongings from their ruined homes.
The people who have lost their loved ones recalled the aftermath of the tsunami. The survivors picked up the pieces from their homes, made them remember their loved ones and mourned them.
The cars were piled up like a tower of blocks. The uprooted trees and ruined pipelines were all mixed with mud along with several household items from the broken houses. The streets are now fully covered with mud and water in Valencia.
The search crew told that there is still an unknown number of people missing and more people need to be found.
The witnesses recalled what they saw
One of the witnesses, Eliu Sanchez, who was a resident of Valencia city suburb, told that the merciless currents of storms grabbed a man who was trying to take refuge on top of a floating car.
He explained,
“I have been told of people who were clinging to trees, but the force made them let go and they were carried away, calling for help. Trucks, everything was going from here to there”.
Another witness in Godelleta town of Valencia, Antonio Molina told that he survived the cruel storm waves by clinging to a pillar. The pillar was on a neighbour’s porch when the water was up his neck due to deadly rainfall for hours.
He was thankful for finding his dog alive swimming in water on his own. Also, he luckily found his wife and son who had saved themselves by struggling and reaching the upper floor of their house.
Micheal Martin is worried
Tanaiste Micheal Martin said earlier in this week that disastrous climate change consequences are here and “we’ve got to adapt”.
By this, he meant that the worsening climate situation is becoming inevitable since severe storms are now seen in various regions of the world. He believed that the people of Europe and Ireland should take measures for stronger adaptation so that the impacts of climate change could be minimised.
He said,
“The indications are that climate change is here, it’s happening”.
The reason for climate change according to World Weather Attribution
According to World Weather Attribution, ten deadliest weather events have been witnessed in the past two decades, which is evidence in itself that climate change is reaching its worst.
Ruthless storms, heatwaves and floods have been observed in Europe, Africa and Asia for the past 20 years as a result of human-induced climate change. This report was generated by a group of experts at the World Weather Attribution.
The experts are now in a better position to mark the fingerprints of man-made climate changes even in complex weather events. They remarked that the report is an “eye-opener” for the political leaders of these regions as this is high time they shun their indispensable reliance on fossil fuels.
The heat will continue and so will the suffering, the experts notified.
FAQs
1. What caused the severe weather in Spain?
The severe weather in Spain is attributed to intense storms, flooding, and heavy rainfall in various regions, particularly affecting the Valencia region. According to weather experts, these extreme weather patterns are increasingly linked to climate change, with human activity being a significant contributing factor.
2. Which regions in Spain are currently under high alert?
The southeastern coast of Spain, including the province of Huelva, is on high alert. The Spanish weather agency (AEMET) has issued red alerts for Huelva and Valencia and orange alerts for the islands of Menorca and Mallorca, as well as for northern coastal and interior areas.
3. How severe has the impact been in affected areas?
The impact has been devastating. In the Valencia region, there have been flash floods, and approximately 158 lives have been lost, with search and rescue missions still ongoing. Floodwaters have left towns and villages isolated, complicating rescue efforts and causing extensive property damage.
4. What actions have Spanish authorities taken in response to the storm?
Spanish authorities have issued the highest weather warnings, initiated search and rescue missions, and imposed travel restrictions on several regions. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe VI have urged citizens to stay home and avoid coastal travel to ensure safety.
5. What support has Ireland offered to Spain during this crisis?
Ireland’s Taoiseach Simon Harris expressed condolences and offered support to Spain during a conversation with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Harris assured that Ireland stands ready to provide assistance, especially through European Union resources.
