Rains in Barcelona disrupt rail services as troops search for flood victims in Valencia
After The Try Spain Firefighters To Massanassa, In Picture: Damage Outside People Photo/alberto Floods Just Clear Of Saiz Valencia, As Up Walk Ap
Storms in eastern Spain that led to massive flooding last week and killed more than 200 people, mostly near Valencia, have now dumped rain on Barcelona, prompting authorities to suspend commuter rail services.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said he was suspending all commuter trains in north-east Catalonia, a region with a population of eight million, on request from civil protection officials.
Mobile phones in Barcelona issued an alert over “extreme and continued rainfall” on the southern outskirts of the city. The alert urged people to avoid any normally dry gorges or canals.
Yellow and amber weather warnings were in place for parts of Valencia and neighbouring Catalonia with people in the affected areas advised to stay off the roads and keep away from the coast and rivers.
Mr Puente said that the rains had forced air traffic controllers to change the course of 15 flights operating at Barcelona’s airport, located on the southern flank of the city.
Several major roads have been closed due to flooding.
Classes were cancelled in Tarragona, a city in southern Catalonia about halfway between Barcelona and Valencia after a red alert for rains was issued.
Meanwhile, Spain is deploying 7,500 troops to its eastern region hit by devastating floods, the government said on Monday in the face of rising discontent over the response to the catastrophe that has killed at least 217 people.
The army sent about 5,000 soldiers over the weekend to help distribute food and water, clean up streets and protect shops and properties from looters. A further 2,500 would join them, Defence Minister Margarita Robles told state-owned radio RNE.
A warship carrying 104 marine infantry soldiers as well as trucks with food and water was approaching Valencia port even as a strong hailstorm pummelled Barcelona some 300 km (186 miles) to the north.
Rescue teams on Monday were searching for bodies in underground garages including a 5,000-car park at Bonaire shopping mall near Valencia airport as well as river mouths where currents may have deposited bodies.
Fatalities from Spain's worst flash floods in modern history edged higher to 217 on Sunday - almost all of them in the Valencia region and more than 60 in the suburb of Paiporta.
Local residents' anger was focused on late alerts from authorities about the dangers of flooding and a perceived delayed response by emergency services.
On Sunday, some residents in Paiporta slung mud at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe and his wife Queen Letizia, chanting: "murderers, murderers!"
Mr Puente said on Sunday the death toll had stabilised because all victims on the surface had been identified.
The torrential rains on Tuesday and Wednesday caused rivers to swell, engulfing streets and the ground floors of buildings, and sweeping away cars and pieces of masonry in tides of mud.
It was the worst flood-related disaster in Europe in five decades Even though rainfalls have continued during the rest of the week, there has been no more major flooding in the area.
-Reuters with additional reporting from Associated Press