Flash floods in Spain leave at least 51 people dead
At least 51 people have been killed in Spain after flash floods struck parts of the country.
Torrential rains flooded roads and towns on Tuesday, resulting in cars being swept through streets, a train being derailed and damaged houses and buildings.
Authorities in the worst-hit areas had advised people to stay at home and avoid all non-essential travel.
Emergency services said at least 51 people have died in the floods affecting southeastern Spain.
Those killed, in the Valencia region, included children.
A man looks on at the destruction caused by the flash floods in Malaga province. Pic: AP
Cars are swept away by the water in Alora, Malaga province. Pic: AP
Pic: AP
In Letur, near the Sierra de Segura, 30 people were trapped after the river running through the town burst its banks.
Dozens of videos shared on social media appeared to show people trapped in floodwaters, several of them hanging on to trees to avoid being swept away. Authorities used helicopters to rescue some residents from their homes.
Other videos shared by Spanish broadcasters showed floodwater rising into the lower levels of homes and even carrying cars through the street.
Radio and TV stations received hundreds of calls for help from people trapped in flooded areas or searching for loved ones, as emergency services were unable to reach all affected locations.
‘It was mayhem’
A British couple told Sky News they had been stuck in their car for almost 10 hours.
Vitalij Farafonov and his wife were visiting Valencia on a yoga retreat when they were diverted by police from a motorway at around 8pm last night.
He said: “It was mayhem as we counted nine or 10 overturned lorries on a half mile stretch of the motorway.
“We’ve never seen anything like it.”
The couple, who are originally from the Midlands but now live in Luxembourg, have four children who are safe in Barcelona with relatives.
Mr Farafonov said he and his wife were stuck “on a random rural road in between what were beautiful orange groves”.
“We can finally see flashing blue lights so people do know where we are,” he added. “As I say, we are the lucky ones.”
Emergency workers help a woman in Letur. Pic: Europa Press via AP
This was the scene following floods in Llombai, Valencia. Pic: Reuters
A helicopter rescue is carried out in Alora, Malaga. Pic: AP
Cars are swept away by the water in Alora. Pic: AP
Transport was severely affected by the flooding.
A high-speed train with almost 300 people on board was derailed near Malaga, but authorities said no one was hurt.
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Rail lines elsewhere were also disrupted.
Storms are forecast to continue until Thursday, according to the country’s weather service.
Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years.
Scientists have warned that increased episodes of extreme weather, like flash floods, or the wildfires seen elsewhere in Europe in the summer, are likely linked to human-driven climate change.
Meteorologists believe the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.
This is the highest stakes diplomacy via social media.
The American president just posted on his Truth Social platform: “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding.
“He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers.
“Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Israel-Iran live: Trump says US knows where Iran’s supreme leader is ‘hiding’
It was followed minutes later by “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
In real-time, we are witnessing Donald Trump’s extreme version of maximum pressure diplomacy.
He’d probably call it the ‘art of the deal’, but bunker busters are the tool, and it comes with such huge consequences, intended and unintended, known and unknown.
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The bunker buster bomb which could destroy Iran’s nuclear ambitions
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Nuclear sites targeted in Iran
There is intentional ambiguity in the president’s messaging. His assumption is that he can apply his ‘art of the deal’ strategy to a deeply ideological geopolitical challenge.
It’s all playing out publicly. Overnight, the New York Times, via two of its best-sourced reporters, had been told that Mr Trump is weighing whether to use B-2 aircraft to drop bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.
Meanwhile, Axios was reporting that a meeting is possible between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
The reporting came just as Mr Trump warned “everyone in Tehran to evacuate”. The nuclear sites being threatened with bunker busters are not in Tehran, but Trump’s words are designed to stoke tension, to confuse and to apply intense pressure.
His actions are too. He left the G7 in Canada early and asked his teams to gather in the White House Situation Room.
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Trump: ‘I want an end, not a ceasefire’
This is a game of smoke, mirrors, brinkmanship and – maybe – bluff. In Tehran, what’s left of the leadership is watching and reading closely as they consider what’s next.
Maybe the Supreme Leader and his regime’s days are numbered. Things remain very unpredictable.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
From history, though, regime change, even when it comes with a plan – and there is certainly not one here, spells civil war and from that comes a refugee crisis.
These are truly tense and chaotic times.
World
Ukraine war: 14 killed as Russian missile and drone attacks strike Kyiv – including American citizen
Russian missile and drone attacks have killed 14 people in Kyiv overnight, according to Ukrainian officials.
A 62-year-old US citizen who suffered shrapnel wounds is among the dead.
At least 99 others were wounded in strikes that hollowed out a residential building and destroyed dozens of apartments.
Pic: AP
Emergency workers were at the scene to rescue people from under the rubble.
Images show a firefighter was among those hurt, with injured residents evacuated from their homes.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as “one of the most terrifying attacks on Kyiv” – and said Russian forces had fired 440 drones and 32 missiles as civilians slept in their homes.
“[Putin] wants the war to go on,” he said. “It is troubling when the powerful of this world turn a blind eye to it.”
Pic: AP
Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said 27 locations across the capital have been hit – including educational institutions and critical infrastructure.
He claimed the attack, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, was one of the largest on the capital since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Drones swarmed over the city, with an air raid alert remaining in force for seven hours.
One person was killed and 17 others injured as a result of separate Russian drone strikes in the port city of Odesa.
Pic: Reuters
It comes as the G7 summit in Canada continues, which Ukraine’s leader is expected to attend.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was due to hold talks with Donald Trump – but the president has announced he is unexpectedly returning to Washington because of tensions in the Middle East.
Ukraine’s foreign minister says Moscow’s decision to attack Kyiv during the summit is a signal of disrespect to the US.
Moscow has launched a record number of drones and missiles in recent weeks, and says the attacks are in retaliation for a Ukrainian operation that targeted warplanes in airbases deep within Russian territory.
Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko says fires broke out in two of the city’s districts as a result of debris from drones shot down by the nation’s air defences.
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Pic: AP
On X, Ukraine’s foreign ministry wrote: “Russia’s campaign of terror against civilians continues. Its war against Ukraine escalates with increased brutality.
“The only way to stop Russia is tighter pressure – through sanctions, more defence support for Ukraine, and limiting Russia’s ability to keep sowing war.”
Olena Lapyshnak, who lived in one of the destroyed buildings, said: “It’s horrible, it’s scary, in one moment there is no life. I can only curse the Russians, that’s all I can say. They shouldn’t exist in this world.”
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