BERNAMA
31/10/2024
Residents' vehicles are lying around following the floods that hit Valencis. - AP photo
ANKARA: The Spanish football leagues - La Liga EA SPORTS and La Liga HYPERMOTION, will observe a minute's silence for this weekend to commemorate the victims of the floods in Valencia, Anadolu Agency reported citing the organizers on Wednesday.
In a statement, La Liga expressed its condolences and solidarity to the families of the flood victims and individuals still missing in the disaster.
Devastating floods in the eastern province of Valencia claimed 95 lives, according to preliminary data from Spain's Interior Ministry.
The latest death toll comes after devastating overnight flooding, caused by the worst storm of the century.
The storm was comparable to two other storms in the 1980s, according to Spain's meteorological agency.
Meanwhile, Valencia football club, one of the top teams in the La Liga division, said it had turned its home stadium, the Mestalla, into a "food and basic needs storage center" to help those affected by the disaster.
On Saturday, Valencia will play a league match against defending Spanish champions Real Madrid at Mestalla. - BERNAMA
The floods that hit Valencia, Spain reportedly continued to worsen as many people died and were reported missing after heavy rain hit the region since Tuesday.
The situation showed a woman in a video recording, walking along a muddy road while calling out the names of her loved ones.
In addition to the woman, the footage also shows a number of cars being washed away along with piles of debris due to the flood.
As of Wednesday local time, the death toll from flooding in Valencia rose to 95 after heavy rains hit the eastern part of the region.
According to local authorities, bridges and buildings were swept away while a number of homes and cars were flooded.
International reports reported that it was the worst flood in the country in three decades.
The conditions caused accidents on highways and submerged agricultural areas in the region that produces two-thirds of citrus fruits.
For the record, Spain is one of the main global exporters of the fruit.
The storm that started on Tuesday brought heavy rain that equaled a year's rainfall in a few hours, causing rivers to overflow quickly and even tornadoes.
Desperate residents took to social media to call for help after local emergency lines were down due to flooded buildings and a high volume of calls.
The Valencian government also opened a dedicated phone line to report missing persons.
Residents are still being urged to avoid any highway travel, and most schools in the autonomous region remain closed.
Meanwhile, the storm system continues to move across the Iberian peninsula, with much of north-east and south-west Spain placed under heavy rain weather warnings.