Spain last to flood: chilly weather warnings for rain and hail in Valencia as major clean-up work by volunteers continues

The storms concentrated over the Magro and Turia river basins, producing walls of water in the Poyo riverbed that flooded the banks of the river, leaving people unaware as they went about their daily lives, with many returning home on Tuesday evening of their work.

In an instant, the muddy water covered roads and railways and entered homes and businesses in villages on the southern outskirts of the city of Valencia.

Drivers had to take shelter on car roofs, while residents tried to seek refuge on higher ground.

Spain’s national weather service said it rained more in eight hours in the hard-hit town of Chiva than in the previous 20 months, calling the deluge “extraordinary”.

When authorities sent the alert to mobile phones to warn of the severity of the phenomenon and asked people to stay at home, many were already on the road, at work or under water in low-lying areas or garages, which became a death trap.

On Friday, the mass spontaneous arrival of volunteers hampered access for emergency workers to some areas, prompting authorities to devise a plan on how and where to deploy them.

Rafael Armero, 19, who was in Alfafar, a suburb of Valencia, said on Saturday: “I have been going around the city for three days to help anyone who needs it. We have a backpack full of food and water for anyone who needs it.”

More than 90 percent of households in Valencia had their power restored by Friday, utility Iberdrola said, although thousands were still without electricity in cut-off areas that rescuers found difficult to reach.

On Friday, the mass spontaneous arrival of volunteers hampered access for emergency workers to some areas, prompting authorities to devise a plan on how and where to deploy them.

Rafael Armero, 19, who was in Alfafar, a suburb of Valencia, said on Saturday: “I have been going around the city for three days to help anyone who needs it. We have a backpack full of food and water for anyone who needs it.”

More than 90 percent of households in Valencia had their power restored by Friday, utility Iberdrola said, although thousands were still without electricity in cut-off areas that rescuers found difficult to reach.

The rain showers started on Tuesday (October 29) and continued until Wednesday. In the aftermath of the floods, cars are left on the streets, surrounded by a sea of ​​rubble from damaged buildings and structures.

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According to local media reports, Mallorca’s worst storm has passed, despite much of the island being hit by heavy rain on Friday evening.

Javier Bonet, the first deputy mayor of the Majorcan capital Palma, urged locals and tourists on Friday to only leave their homes if it is “absolutely necessary”.

“We are not on red alert, but it is essential to warn the population to avoid greater risks,” he added.

But the Mallorca Daily Bulletin reports that the “storm is subsiding” and that “emergency services believe the worst of the cold wave is over”.

Emergency services are still advising extreme caution as rain is still possible on Saturday.

Follow the link below to watch live volunteers and emergency services carrying out rescue operations in the devastated eastern region of Valencia.