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Flash flooding in Spain this week caused torrential downpours, creating havoc in eastern Spain and killing at least 158 people, The New York Times reports.
Satellite images from the European Space Agency show the extent of the flooding. The images below were taken with the the US’ S Landsat-8 satellite on Oct. 8 (left) and Oct. 30 (right), before and after the flood. They will help “support rescue and recovery efforts,” the European Space Agency says.
The city of Valencia was particularly affected, receiving a year’s worth of rain in just eight hours. The deluge turned streets into rivers, destroyed homes, and created a pileup of vehicles. Many municipalities reported not having power or clean drinking water.
Valencians have criticized city authorities for not sending out an evacuation alert text message early enough, according to Le Monde. They did not receive an alert until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the day of the flooding, and the damage was already significant by that time. The roads had flooded and completely covered cars, forcing owners to abandon their vehicles and seek refuge.
“By the time I got the message, it was too late for all those who had already been trapped by the floodwaters while trying to get home from shopping or work,” Anna Martinez tells Le Monde.
Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will make a contribution toward relief efforts, as he did for Hurricane Milton. “We’re thinking of all those impacted by the devastating flash floods in the region of Valencia, Spain,” Cook says. “Apple will be making a donation to help with relief efforts on the ground.”
The Spanish government has declared three days of official mourning starting today.
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