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A NEW red weather alert has been issued in southwest Spain as torrential rain heads to the Balearics with at least 158 people killed so far in the violent floods.
The Spanish province of Huelva received the deadly alert as residents have been chillingly warned to “brace for more fatalities”.
AP
Getty
Getty
GettyFlash floods have devastatingly swept through large parts of tourist-hotspot Spain, enduring a year’s worth of rain in a single day.
At least 158 people have tragically died – 155 of which are deaths confirmed in the Valencia region alone.
Now a terrifying new red alert has been issued in the province of Huelva as weather channels report heavy rainfall that’s set to occur in various places alongside torrential conditions on the coast.
The alert comes as it was announced that 500 soldiers have joined the search for missing people.
On top of this, a whopping 1,200 soldiers from Spain‘s Military Emergencies Unit will join in on the desperate search too.
The Minister of Defence promised that “as may as necessary” will be added depending on the needs.
And Valencia’s regional president called on the Spanish military to help rescue and ultimately recover those still trapped in their homes and major flood zones.
In a post on X Carlos Mazon previously said: “I have just requested the incorporation of the army and the available land, sea and air forces to reinforce the logistical tasks and the distribution of aid to the population.”
Crews were searching for bodies in stranded cars and sodden buildings on Thursday as residents salvaged what they could from their ruined homes.
In another municipality, Alfafar has been left ruined by the unbelievable weather conditions, with the only heavy machinery working being tractors.
Located south of Valencia, emergency services haven’t been able to access the struck area until Friday.
Now the area has finally been returned to – and residents are having to return to see their home in utter devastation.
As desperate searches for missing people continues in Alfafar, Spanish outlet La Cadena SER has spoken to those there for the clean-up.
One person devastatingly said that workers “keep taking out cars” which is “a good sign, because if they stop it means they’ve found someone”.
Clean up works have also begun in Aldaia, Valencia as emergency crew remove cars left damaged by the deadly flood waters.
Heart-broken residents have also joined in on the massive operation.
Among those tragically killed in the horrific flash floods is a former Valencia CF player.
The Spanish football club has paid tributes to José Castillejo, 28, a midfielder who also played for teams like Torre Levante, Paterna and Eldense.
Brit survives floods after escaping from car
BRIT Karen Loftus and her husband survived the flooding after climbing out of her car window, Sky News reports.
The Dorset woman says she is “lucky to be alive” after being hit by the heavy rain while driving south from their home in Alicante.
Motorway traffic they were travelling on came to a standstill before they realised the bridge ahead of them had been washed away.
Within 10 minutes water started lapping at the car and people were smashing their windows to escape.
She said cars began to float down the road that had turned into a river.
Karen said: “Just after we got out of the car, another car floated on top of our car.
“It was raging, cars were floating about, people were screaming.”
The pair managed to climb out of the car’s window with the water at chest height before they were picked up by a lorry.
She said: “It was just like a disaster movie. You know when you think ‘I could die here’. It was so utterly scary.”
It said in a statement: “We regret the death of José Castillejo, a victim of the Dana disasters.
“He was part of the club’s Academy until his youth stage and has played for several teams in the Valencian Community. RIP.”
Eldense also paid tragic tribute to the rising star, saying, “Terrible news comes our way due to the catastrophic DANA.
“We deeply regret José Castillejo’s passing at 28, a former blue-and-red player in the 2015/2016 season. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”
A young footie star, Castillejo was trained at the Valencia youth academy before playing for local Spanish clubs like Torre Levante, Paterna, Eldense, Buñol, Recambios Colón, CD Roda and Villamarxant.
He also went on to play for CD Eldense during the 2015-2016 season.
It comes as horror flash floods turned Valencia into an apocalyptic wasteland following Spain’s deadly floods.
Getty
GettyImages from Thursday afternoon show the aftermath of the country’s worst natural disaster in living history.
Hundreds of abandoned cars and trucks can be seen trapped in murky brown sludge on the highway.
Civilians were made to ditch their motors as the torrential rainfall and flash floods engulfed much of eastern Spain on Tuesday.
Spain’s transport minister has been one of many officials scrambling to try and contain the crisis.
DEVASTATING FLOODS
Elsewhere, brave rescuers airlifted a baby and an elderly woman from the devastating Spanish floods.
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 onto a plane in a rescuer’s arms, in the country’s worst-hit region of Valencia.
Across the region, trees had been uprooted in the storms and cars had piled up on each other like dominoes.
Powerlines were also brought down as the strength of the unexpected torrent even tore apart bridges sat in its way.
A terrifying video caught the moment an entire bridge in Paiporta, Valencia, where at least 40 people have died, was wiped out in seconds.
It comes as further rainfall is expected tomorrow and in the coming days.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez has declared Valencia a disaster zone as he warned the public about the incoming weather.
He said: “The most important thing is that I know Spanish people are aware that this phenomenon has not finished.
“All of those who have been affected, please stay at home.”
Why was Spain hit by flooding?
Spain was hit by flash floods after the east of the country was hit by a meteorological phenomena known as a ‘DANA’.
A DANA, or a ‘cold drop’ is technically a system where there is an isolated depression in the atmosphere is at high levels.
In layman’s terms, more warm and moist Mediterranean air than usual was sucked high into the atmosphere after a cold system hit the country from the south.
The easterly wind then pushed all those clouds and rain into eastern Spain.
Three to four months of rain fell in some places over the space of 24 hours.
The DANA system hit southern Spain as it arrived from Morocco yesterday and is now expected to head west over southern Portugal.
Reuters
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