Spain's Climate Floods Tragedy in Pictures

Vehicles pile up in the streets after flooding caused by late Tuesday and early Wednesday storm in Alfafar, Valencia region, Spain, November 2nd 2024 - Copyright Angel Garcia/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.

By Daniel Bellamy with AP

Published on 10/11/2024 - 10:59 GMT+1

Comments

Share this article

Twelve days have passed since catastrophic flash floods carved a muddy scar through eastern Spain, killing over 200 people. Photos shot by AP.

Survivors say that 15 minutes was all it took for a drainage canal that was crucial in the disaster to go from empty to overflowing. Abutting homes channelled the rushing water to expand its shockwave.

Regional authorities failed to alert people in time, and in some places there wasn't even rain to put people on guard, magnifying the chaos.

In the aftermath, streets look like they have been blasted back to the Medieval period, covered by layers of mud that obscured any glimpse of pavement or cobblestone.

Meanwhile, the search goes on for the missing.