Laurence Dollimore
AT least five people are missing across eastern and southern Spain amid ‘historic’ storms that have left up to 300 litres of rainfall per square metres.
In Valencia, a bridge was filmed being completely destroyed by a river surge tonight, while the region of Utiel-Requena saw streets turned into rivers.
Clips from the center of Utiel show dozens of cars being carried by muddy water that almost reaches the top of the ground floor of the buildings on the street.
There is one person missing in Valencia and four missing from Albacete, although there is fear that that number is going to rise.
The worst hit regions are Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha and parts of Andalucia.
People across all three have been asked to remain indoors and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
The dramatic conditions are being caused by a so-called DANA, a high area of isolated depression that typically brings heavy rainfall and a drop in temperatures.
It has discharged more than 300 litres per square metre in the Valencian region of Utiel-Requena, an amount described as ‘historic’ and which has caused the Magro River to overflow.
Meanwhile, a tornado has left residents in Benifaio stunned, as has a flood which has devastated Chiva.
Meanwhile, the army have been roped in to rescue residents trapped in their homes in Valencia.
Many of them have been pulled from their roofs by helicopter, a task made extremely difficult in the current conditions.
In L’Alcudia, a truck driver who vanished during the worst of the storm remains missing.
More to follow…
