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A WOMAN has been found miraculously alive after being trapped in a car with her dead sister-in-law for three days during the devastating Valencia floods.
The number of people killed by the floods has risen from 207 to 211 – and is expected to climb much higher as 2,000 people are still missing across Spain.
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Solarpix
SolarpixThe unnamed woman is understood to have been rescued from a flooded tunnel in the stricken town of Benetusser – on the outskirts of Valencia.
The Valencian Community of Spain is where most of the victims are known to have died so far from the devastating floods.
Aid workers are said to have discovered the woman after hearing her desperate cries for help amongst abandoned vehicles.
They were checking vehicles in the town when they thankfully found her alive.
Local reports claim she had been trapped by other cars piled on top of hers alongside her dead sister-in-law while she waited for help to arrive.
The tunnel, which lies between the municipalities of Benetusser and Alfafar has been branded the “black tunnel” by leading Spanish daily El Mundo.
Firefighters have been working with a volunteer tractor driver to pull cars out of the water before they are checked for occupants.
They are understood to be working with the theory that drivers further into the tunnel are likely to have been already inside it when they were stopped in their tracks by flash floods.
Meanwhile others in front of them were swept into the tunnel from other areas after their drivers and passengers managed to escape.
Regional Civil Protection president Martin Perez revealed the miracle survival late last night, receiving applause from 400 volunteers in a municipal sports hall in nearby Moncada.
He broke the news to volunteers while wearing his mud-covered uniform after his life-saving work of assisting the victims.
He said: “After three days we’ve found a person alive in a car.”
Firefighters in protective clothing were filmed up to their necks in water yesterday checking the mangled wreckage of vehicles in the tunnel.
Earlier today it was confirmed Civil Guard divers are now entering flooded garages in Benetusser where locals have told them there are still people trapped.
It’s expected to be a grim search for bodies rather than survivors.
In a similar tragic event caused by the floods an underground car park in Valencia has sparked fears of a “mass grave” due to flooding.
Gut-wrenching images of Bonaire Shopping Centre near Valencia show escalators leading down to the basement car park underwater.
And it’s causing concern about the final death toll from one of Europe’s worst-ever natural disasters.
The worst of the storm appears to have passed, according to emergency servicesSolarpix
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A view from the disaster area in the flood-prone town of PaiportaWorkers at the centre were previously seen using fire extinguishers to desperately escape ground-floor stores after getting trapped in waist-high water.
Looters took advantage of the flooding on Tuesday to ransack shops there.
Across the country an unbelievable 64 people have been arrested for looting, with five men accused of robbing a flooded jewellery store, El Pais reports.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Saturday that 5,000 soldiers will be deployed – 4,000 today and 1,000 tomorrow morning – on top of the at least 2,000 already on the ground.
A further 5,000 police officers will also be deployed to flood-hit areas, as well as a Spanish navy ship to accommodate helicopters.
Addressing the nation, the PM said: “We are talking about the largest deployment of state security forces and bodies of the armed forces that has ever been made in our country in times of peace.”
Parts of Majorca are under storm lockdown this weekend due to heavy rainfall and severe floods, with residents and tourists being urged to stay indoors.
Dramatic footage shows drivers navigating through high floodwaters and massive water torrents rushing across towns as the storm has pounded coastal areas and flooded roadways.
After posting a video of a terrifying lighting show over her villa, a tourist said Friday night’s storm “brought heavy downpour and strong thunderstorms”.
The weather system, she claimed, had left “parts of the island no longer accessible” and some roads unusable.
Some motorists were also reportedly rescued from their vehicles in the well-known coastal resort of Santa Ponca.
Local officials said that advising people to stay at home has somewhat reduced the severity of the tragedy as no fatalities have been reported so far across the Brit hotspot island.
It comes as:
- A woman is found alive after three days trapped in a car
- Flooded car park in Valencia sparks fears of a “mass grave”
- A hugely popular Spanish tourist hotspot goes into lockdown
- Moment a waterspout tornado lands during devastating floods
- Officials desperately try to rescue people caught in the disaster
- Devastated towns are plagued by looting
- Former Valencia player is killed in flash floods
A severe weather front passed through the Balearics Friday night, pouring more than 100 litres of water per square metre, according to the State Meteorological Agency.
Emergency services responded to 87 incidents, the majority of which were flooding on public highways and in basements.
Palma’s major seafront was cordoned off with red tape, and the streets were almost deserted yesterday.
Public parks, gardens, and cemeteries are all closed until Monday, and homeless people have been moved from flood areas.
Javier Bonet, Palma’s deputy mayor, warned people to not leave their homes unless “absolutely necessary”.
He said: “We are not on red alert, but it is essential to warn the population to avoid greater risks.”
The worst of the storm appears to have passed, according to emergency services, but the public is advised to be vigilant as heavy rains persist in several regions.
The extreme conditions are expected to ease today.
Getty
ReutersKing Charles has said he is “heartbroken” by the catastrophic floods in a new message from the Royal Family.
In a heart-felt letter to Spain’s Felipe XI on Saturday, the King wrote: “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 are bound by so much that we have in common.
“We extend our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to you and to 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. Charles R.”
A message from The King to King Felipe VI of Spain regarding the ongoing floods in ValenciaThe president of China, like King Charles, has sent a message of condolence to King Felipe of Spain.
According to a statement sent by the Chinese embassy in Spain, Xi Jinping was “shocked to learn” that heavy storms and floods had affected various parts of Spain, resulting in countless casualties and property damage.
“The Chinese president, on behalf of the Chinese government and its people, expressed deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.
“Xi also said he believes that under the leadership of the king and the Spanish government, people in flood-affected areas will be able to overcome this catastrophe and rebuild their homes as soon as possible.”
Experts have found new records within the horrific rainfall as around 42 litres of rain per square metre fell in just 10 minutes in one Valencian town.
This is equivalent to a whopping 1.7 inches of water.
Thousands of sodden, abandoned cars covered in brown sludge litter roads around Valencia after the flooding turned them to rivers.
Of those dead, a large proportion have been tragically found in Valencia, with rain also hitting other parts of the country including Andalusia and the Balearic Islands.
Yellow and orange warnings remain in place for parts of the Valencia region and Catalonia through the weekend.
A telephone number has been set up for locals to call in and register missing relatives with 1,900 already registered, el Diario reports.
On Thursday, 600 people who were registered as missing were found.
Officials are now going through the grim process of identifying the bodies – with a team of 100 forensic experts only solving 17 so far.
Search and rescue workers are going car-to-car as many people are thought to have drowned inside their motors as they returned from work when the flash floods hit.
The mayor of Chiva warned Thursday there were still “hundreds of cars turned upside down and they will surely have people inside them”.
Others were killed because they went down to move their cars, worried about flooding.
Reuters
GettyOne survivor told the Telecinco TV channel: “There are almost certainly more people who have died because the water washed people away who had got out of their cars.”
As bodies are identified stories are emerging about who they were, including a 71-year-old Brit who died in hospital.
Thousands of volunteers are travelling from the area to help with the cleanup and continue the search for bodies.
With some roads closed, huge queues of people are forming as they march into the disaster areas with brooms and shovels.
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.
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.”
The horrifically high death toll has sparked outrage among residents, with some accusing Spanish authorities of not warning people about the dangers posed by the weather soon enough.
On Saturday thousands of volunteers gathered at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia to begin the massive clean up in the worst-hit areas of the city.
The number of people who registered to help is at over 100,000, according to the Valencian Community Volunteer Platform.
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