Flooding chaos hits Barcelona, halts rail services
Heavy rains hit the Spanish city of Barcelona Monday as authorities suspended all commuter trains throughout the Catalonia region that hosts 8 million residents. The significant deluge forced state-of-emergency warnings saying people should not venture into areas that could become prone to flash floods. This comes after Spain's Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, teamed up with civil protection officials, citing public safety as a priority.
Flights Diverted, Roads Blocked
Severe weather conditions have also affected air traffic in Barcelona as flight controllers had to reroute 15 flights. A number of highways have been closed due to flooding; otherwise, accidents could result. The roads are badly flooded.
Tarragona closes schools due to heavy rain alerts
Classes were canceled as well in Tarragona, a city between Barcelona and Valencia, as meteorologists issued a red alert. The southern Catalonia area continues to brace itself for heavy rains, causing public life to be interrupted as well as daily life.
Valencia Ongoing Rescue and Recovery Efforts
Meanwhile, the tragedy is even more heightened in Valencia as search teams, composed of soldiers and firefighters, comb through debris-filled streets and submerged properties in search of possible flood victims. In Aldaia municipality, about 50 rescue personnel are poring through a submerged parking lot of a shopping center to look for possible missing people.
Locals Demand Support Amid Cleanup Struggles
Amid massive cleanup, frustration among Valencia's residents is increasingly mounting, especially after visits by the royal family and political leaders at Paiporta. Citizens there, still mouthing the loss of over 60 lives and still enduring the lack of drinking water among other essentials, showed their anger by showering mud on the officials. Most residents feel abandoned and left to fend for themselves in dealing with this disaster.
Unprecedented Flooding Tied to Climate Patterns The scientists attribute the extreme weather to a peculiar low-pressure system fueled by unusually high temperatures in the Mediterranean. A stalled jet stream over the region triggered a downpour, making it one of Spain's deadliest floods on record. Military and Relief Forces Join Recovery Monday saw the arrival at Valencia's port of a Spanish navy vessel, "Galicia," bringing marines and essential supplies to back up the efforts in relief. In all, some 7,500 soldiers have been complemented by police reinforcements tackling mud obscurations with citizens and volunteers.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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