Laurence Dollimore
KING Charles has sent a heartfelt message to Spain following the deadly floods that have claimed more than 200 lives.
In a letter addressed to King Felipe VI, the British monarch said he and Queen Camilla were ‘utterly heartbroken’ by the devastation and deaths.
The message reads: “Your Majesty, My wife and I were utterly heartbroken to learn of the destruction and devastation following the catastrophic flooding in southern and eastern Spain.
“So many in the United Kingdom have strong, personal ties to Spain, and our nations our bound by so much that we have in common.
“We extend our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to you and the people of Spain for the tragic loss of so many lives.
“Our special thoughts, prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with all those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods this terrible week.”
It comes after the Olive Press last night revealed that a British couple are believed to be among the hundreds still missing from Spain’s flood disaster zone.
They have been named only as Brigitte and Jose, and are said to be ‘British and in their 60s’.
The appeal was made on the interactive map of the missing that allows loved ones to place pins of their lost relatives’ last locations, alongside a message – which can be responded to.
Others have left phone numbers and emails so that people can contact them if they find their missing family members.
The post about the Brits reads: “We are looking for Brigitte and Jose. A couple in their 60s, both British.
“The woman is very blonde, and the man is dark-skinned.
“The man speaks perfect Spanish, but the woman not so much. We have not been able to contact them for over two days.”
It said the couple disappeared from Calle Fermin Vilar in Alfafar (pictured top left and right), one of the worst hit zones in Valencia.
In the same zone, a mother-of-two reported on X how a body had floated into her home where she was with her two children and an elderly couple.
The interactive map has laid bare the emotional trauma of the disaster that has claimed more than 200 lives.
‘Two children missing aged three and five’… ‘grandparents of Jose’… ‘Analia and her two kids.’
These are just some of the dozens of messages that have been pinned to the map alongside phone numbers, photos and email addresses.
The map was the idea of Spaniard Alexandru Molina (@alexandrumolina on ‘X’).
He explained: “I have created a map with an open link so that everyone can edit, adding points and descriptions of the people trapped: enter, add data and delete when they are resolved.”
He added: “Use the colours I have arranged, which help classify the type of emergency by severity, whether it is due to the condition of the people, their age or the level of water around them. The key is in the description. Thank you, good luck!”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health have warned that some hospitals are ‘on the verge of collapse’.
The most at risk is La Fe Hospital in Valencia.
The 112 emergency hotline has received more than 75,000 calls since disaster struck on Tuesday.
