Eastern Spain has been hit with devastating flash flooding this week, the worst flooding disaster the area has experienced in decades.
Rainstorms started on Tuesday (29 October) and continued into Wednesday. In the aftermath of the floods, cars have been piled on the street surrounded by a sea of debris from damaged buildings and structures.
At least 95 people have lost their lives after the flooding swept through streets, turning walkways into rivers and trapping people in their homes and on car roofs.
It is the worst flood-related catastrophe Spain has witnessed since at least 1996, when 87 people died and 180 were injured in a flash flood near Biescas in the Pyrenees.
The rain has battered the eastern region of Spain, hitting holiday hotspots such as Valencia to Malaga.
Here is the latest on the situation in Spain and what you need to know about travel.
What happened?
Torrential rain, which has amounted to a year’s worth in just eight hours in one region, has hit cities such as Valencia and Malaga, causing serious flash flooding.
At least 95 people have died, with the death toll expected to rise as the search continues for dozens of missing people. As search and rescue teams try and locate many who are unaccounted for, more rain is also predicted to be on its way in some of the worst-affected areas.
On Wednesday (31 October), 70 air evacuations and 200 ground rescues were carried out in Valencia, as the regional leader of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, also announced that they are going to launch an aid package of €250m as local authorities begin to try and clean up the destruction on the roads as services are restored.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that Valencia is to be declared a disaster zone following the deadly flash.
Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also said the official crisis level has been raised to level two.
What does it mean?
Travel may be affected in areas of Spain where stormy weather continues.
Aena, Spain’s airport group, said on Thursday that if you are planning on flying from Valencia Airport, they recommend that you contact your airline to find out the status of your flight and check the road conditions from official sources, as some routes may be impacted.
At Valencia airport, there were 30 diversions and 49 cancellations on Wednesday, according to Aena, and airlines are said to be re-accommodating passengers who were unable to fly.
As of Thursday afternoon, there were very few major disruptions to arrivals and departures from Valencia, with only one flight, a British Airways journey to London that was due to depart at 12pm local time, cancelled, according to data from FlightRadar24. Some flights in and out have been delayed, with waits usually ranging from 30 minutes to about three hours.
There have been reports of adverse weather at Jerez Airport and Seville Airport, so Aena has recommended the same advice of checking with your airline for your flight status.
Government advice
As of 31 October the UK’s Foreign Office (FCDO) travel advice said that journeys may be affected due to severe weather and flooding affecting many areas of southern and eastern Spain, particularly in the Valencia region and Castilla La Mancha.
The FCDO advises checking the latest weather warnings from Spain’s meteorological office before travelling and following the instructions from local authorities.
In terms of the Foreign Office’s general advice about travelling to a destination that has been impacted by flooding, they warn that the flood waters can cause devastation and loss of life. After a flood, they also warn that there is an increased risk of water-borne diseases and transport infrastructure can be severely impacted.
The European Meteorological Services advises to only travel if a journey is essential to the southern and northern coast of Castellón, as well as the northern interior of Castellón.
“Extreme or catastrophic damages to people and properties may occur, especially to those vulnerable or in exposed areas,” they wrote.
Is there more rain on the way?
Severe weather warnings have been issued by Spain’s meteorological office Aemet on Thursday (31 October).
While the weather started to get calmer on Thursday in Valencia, Aemet said that the weather agency has issued its highest level of alert from the province of Castellón.
Extreme risk red alerts have been issued for areas of Castellón, which are predicted to see up to 180mm accumulating over 12 hours, with some areas such as the southern coast of Castellón having already observed accumulations of 180mm by 1.50pm local time on Thursday.
The red alert warns: “Extreme danger! Do not travel in the area unless absolutely necessary!”
Valencia is also still facing a yellow weather warning, with 20mm of rain expected to fall in one hour on Thursday in parts.
The surrounding areas of Tarragona and Teruel are also under orange and yellow alerts.
Hail is also predicted to accompany the rain in southern coastal parts of Castellón.
Prime minister Sánchez said: “The Spanish weather agency has still raised alerts in Valencia and elsewhere around Spain. And so I urge everybody else to heed those recommendations and to heed the advice of, the law enforcement and protection authorities. All of those who have been affected, please stay at home.”
Can you cancel and get a refund?
As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to Spain, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund.
The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim travel insurance due to safety concerns unless the Foreign Office advice changes.
In terms of travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
