Thousands of people from Belgium found themselves in the area worst affected by the deadliest floods Spain has experienced in decades. A small number of citizens reported that they were in trouble.
Heavy rain in several areas in Spain, particularly in the southeast, has sparked intense flooding and left at least 140 people dead. The fatal flooding is one of the worst natural disasters in the country's recent history. As rescue workers comb through the debris left by the torrential rain, the death toll is expected to continue to rise.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed on Thursday morning that several Belgians who found themselves in the Spanish disaster area in the Valencia region reported to the Belgian embassy, stating that they were in trouble. However, it has been said that affected citizens can fend for themselves, meaning it is not a request for assistance.
Solidarity with the people of south-east #Spain, who have been severely hit by violent flooding. 🇪🇸
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected. We support the emergency services and all those working on the ground to help the victims. — Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) October 30, 2024
Outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib posted about the floods on social media.
Earlier in the week, the government department had reported that some 13,200 people from Belgium were located in the worst-affected area in Spain. Belgian citizens in the area are advised to register through Travellers Online, the Foreign Affairs platform for reaching Belgians abroad quickly in times of crisis.
The consulate in Valencia said it has been inundated with calls from worried relatives of Belgians who are in the area. "We continuously receive calls from Belgians who cannot reach their relatives. This is because the telephone network in the municipalities of Turís and Montserrat is still not operational," said honorary consul Lodewijk Cuypers.
Meanwhile, many Belgians are struggling to return home. While the airport in Valencia remains operational and no flights to Belgium have yet been cancelled, the poor state of the roads makes it difficult to get there, and public transport is at a standstill.
España sufre la peor inundación en décadas tras las lluvias torrenciales caídas en la provincia oriental de #Valencia. El número de muertos aumenta y sigue habiendo desaparecidos Estas imágenes del satélite estadounidense Landsat-8 ilustran la magnitud del desastre, con imágenes… pic.twitter.com/yG9kJuYZwg
— ESA España (@esa_es) October 31, 2024
The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared images from the US Landsat-8 satellite, illustrating the scale of the disaster.
On Thursday, Belgium's Foreign Affairs Ministry updated its travel advice to Spain, echoing that roads, railway lines and airports, including Valencia's, are still experiencing disruptions due to the damage. "Prepare for travel delays and avoid unnecessary travel in the severely affected areas if possible," the advice read.
Failure to respond
More heavy rainfall – up to 180 mm in 12 hours – is expected in Castellón, just north of Valencia, Spain's Meteorological Agency AEMET reported. Code red remains in place in this area.
Questions are being raised about how one of the world's most developed nations failed to respond adequately. Some local officials complained that the flood warnings came too late. Several people on the ground told the national newspaper El Mundo that Civil Protection sent out alerts when towns were already flooded, more than 12 hours after warnings were issued by AEMET.
Cost-cutting has emerged as a potential culprit. The Valencia Emergency Unit (UVE) – created by the previous, left-wing government to respond to weather-related emergencies – was scrapped by the conservative regional president of Valencia, Carlos Mazón, because it was inefficient.
