Flood in Spain leaves 95 dead, missing and trails of destruction

The death toll from this week’s rains is close to those of August 1996, when 86 people died. At the time, most of the victims were in a campsite in the province of Huesca, which was destroyed.

Ursula von der Leyen said that “Europe stands ready to help”. “What we are seeing in Spain is devastating. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the rescue teams,” wrote the president of the European Commission in X.

King Felipe VI expressed his “sadness at so many losses of human life” in a message sent from the Canary Islands. “There is enormous destruction of infrastructure and material assets of many people (…) However, there is no complete information on the impact, the scope, the effects, even the possible victims”, he declared.

This is an “unprecedented phenomenon”, according to Defense Minister Margarita Robles. She stated that the Army mobilizes canine units to search for bodies, mobile morgues and psychologists to treat victims.

Aemet warned that the rains will continue until at least Thursday, although they will move northeast to the Catalonia region. Scientists have warned that extreme weather phenomena, such as heat waves and storms, are becoming more intense due to climate change.

“We are on a hotter planet with more energy available. Precipitation patterns are changing throughout our territory. Several studies point to more torrential rains”, indicated Aemet.