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3 weeks ago
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THIS is the terrifying moment rescuers airlifted a baby and elderly woman from the devastating floods that have killed at least 158 people in Spain.
Authorities have desperately attempted to save people caught in the country’s worst natural disaster in living history, but warn more victims could be found.
Alicante Council
Alicante Council
APSpain’s military emergency unit were captured rescuing some of the affected area’s most vulnerable people.
Footage showed how an elderly woman, who seemed to be unable to move, was airlifted in a metal cage.
The roads below her were seen to be covered in mud and cars were piled up on debris.
A separate video showed the heartbreaking moment a baby was saved and airlifted into the plane in a rescuer’s arms, in the country’s worst hit region of Valencia.
Officials at the Alicante Provincial Council firefighters revealed that the baby’s mother was also saved.
This video showed the extent of the devastation as the ground below the helicopter and baby only showed the tops of trees above the sea of brown water.
Images across the region showed the horrific devastation and damage caused by the apocalyptic flash floods.
Trees had been uprooted, cars had piled up on each other like dominoes, and powerlines were brought down.
The power of the unexpected torrent even tore down the bridges in its way.
A local welder, Luis Sanchez, revealed what he saw when the floods turned the highway he was on into a graveyard.
Sanchez said: “I saw bodies floating past. I called out but nothing.
“The firefighters took the elderly first, when they could get in. I am from nearby so I tried to help and rescue people.
“People were crying all over, they were trapped.”
Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the death toll is expected to rise as dead bodies are being found inside vehicles.
Other government officials added the number of missing people is still unknown as some areas have been inaccessible to rescuers.
These horrific scenes could worsen as the area already hit by the natural disaster are forecast to see more heavy downpours tomorrow.
Thousands of residents in the Valencia province have already been left without power and clean water.
Valencia’s regional government has come under fire for not sending floor warnings out to people by phone until 8 pm on Tuesday, when the catastrophic weather had already hit.
The mayor of the village L’Alcudia, Andreu Salom, likened the flooding to a tsunami.
Salom said: “I myself was on my way to check the river level because I had no information.
“I went with the local police but we had to turn back because a tsunami of water, mud, reeds and dirt was already entering the town.”
Regional President Carlos Mazon defended the management of the crisis, as he said “all our supervisors followed the standard protocol.”
AEMET
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