Spain floods: At least five dead and thousands evacuated as torrential rain batters the south
A total of 74 roads were closed, along with the entire Murcia regional railway service and airport. The railway link between Alicante and Spain's two cities - Madrid and Barcelona, was also shut.Interior Minister Fernando Grande Marlaska described the floods as"a serious tragedy".
Tourists were left stranded at Alicante Airport as flights were delayed or cancelled, with 78-year-old diabetic Haydn Harding from Northern Ireland, saying:"We've been in the queue here four or five hours. It's very difficult to get to the toilet, impossible to get anything to eat."Some affected areas saw record daily rainfall for the month of September and remained flooded all of Friday.
More than 1,500 soldiers were involved in the rescue operation, which involved helicopters and boats in various areas.People push a car through a partially submerged car park as torrential rains hit Orihuela, Spain Following the evacuation of 1,500 people in Murcia, another 2,000 residents of the town of Santomera were told to leave their homes due to a controlled release from a local dam to prevent it from overflowing, Mr Marlaska said.
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