The number of people who lost their lives in Spain due to the storm has risen to 95.

In the eastern and southern regions of Spain, where heavy rain and storms have been affecting for the last two days, it has been reported that at least 95 people have lost their lives, and search efforts for missing persons are ongoing.

According to a statement from the operational control center working under the autonomous government of Valencia, located in the eastern part of the country, which has been most affected by the heavy rain and storms, the bodies of 92 people have been recovered in the region. Following Valencia, the second region that suffered the most damage from the floods is Castilla-La Mancha, where the number of fatalities has been reported as 3.

MORE THAN 5,000 VEHICLES FOUND ABANDONED

Authorities shared information that, in addition to the rising death toll of 95, dozens of people are missing, especially in the Valencia region. On the other hand, a statement from the gendarmerie indicated that 1,200 people are still stranded in this region due to the floods, and more than 5,000 vehicles are either abandoned on highways or waiting with their drivers.

The autonomous government of Valencia also reported that flights today have been canceled or redirected to the nearest airports due to flooding at the airport in Valencia. Authorities stated that in some areas, rainfall has reached up to 500 liters per square meter, causing severe damage in the eastern and southern regions of the country, with agricultural lands submerged, hundreds of vehicles damaged, trees uprooted, roads and bridges collapsed, and significant disruptions in land and rail transport.

"THE WORST PERIOD OF THE CENTURY"

According to the initial assessment by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), it was reported that Valencia is going through "the worst period of the century" due to the heavy rain and storms, and a complete disaster has occurred due to the floods and water inundation caused by rising water levels in the rivers of Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia. Meanwhile, many Spanish deputies shared condolence messages for the deceased in Valencia on their social media accounts.

THE HIGHEST RAINFALL IN 28 YEARS

It was also reported that Valencia has received the highest rainfall per square meter since 1996. Additionally, the highway between Madrid and Valencia has been closed to traffic, and train services have also been canceled. As in the east, many roads in the southern regions of the country have been closed to traffic, and rescue operations are being carried out with helicopters and boats. All sessions scheduled for today in the Parliament and Senate have been canceled. The Spanish government had established a crisis desk last night due to the loss of life and property caused by the adverse weather conditions.

3-DAY NATIONAL MOURNING DECLARED

Angel Victor Torres, the Minister of Autonomous Communities and Regional Policies in the Spanish government and head of the Crisis Desk, announced that a 3-day national mourning has been declared due to the disaster. In a press conference, Torres urged citizens living in areas where heavy rain and storms are still ongoing to stay indoors and avoid using most of the closed and flooded roads.