Unprecedented floods hit the streets of Algarve, Portgal’s pristine tourist destination wreaking many homes and businesses.
Social media, especially X, formerly Twitter, is filled with videos showing the terrifying scenes of water surging through the heart of Albufeira, submerging homes and businesses alike.
The flood followed a heavy rainfall that lead rivers to overflow their banks, turning once peaceful streets into raging rivers.
A video from Moncarapacho, another town hit by the storms, shows a car being carried away by the strong current.
The streets of Albufeira were left littered with mud and debris after the flooding receded.
This is coming after a devastating flood sacked many parts of Valencia, Spain, killing hundreds of people.
The head of Spain’s eastern Valencia region, Carlos Mazón, on Thursday confessed to “mistakes” in handling the country’s deadliest flood in decades that k1lled roughly 224 people nationwide.
Mazón told Valencia’s regional parliament, “I’m not going to deny mistakes,” even as he added that he was “not going to shirk any responsibility”.
As the head of the regional government, “I would like to apologise” to those who “felt” that “the aid did not arrive or was not enough,” he said.
Spain is grappling with the aftermath of one of the deadliest natural disasters in its history.
Torrential rains that began on October 29 caused widespread devastation in eastern, central, and southern regions, with the Valencia area being hit the hardest.
Almost half of the people killed in Valencia region during the incident were 70 years old or older and 26 were foreigners.
Reports indicate that many areas received record-breaking rainfall, with over 300 litres per square meter recorded in parts of Valencia.
The deluge triggered flash floods, washing away vehicles, collapsing buildings, and submerging homes. Rescue operations continue as teams search for those still missing amidst the wreckage.
The initial death toll of 158 has climbed significantly, making this tragedy one of Europe’s deadliest flood-related disasters in decades.
Authorities have deployed hundreds of soldiers and emergency workers to assist in recovery and rescue efforts, but the situation remains dire as more rain is forecasted for the coming days.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, expressed condolences to the affected families and pledged full government support in rebuilding the impacted areas.
“This is a tragedy of unprecedented magnitude,” he stated, urging citizens to remain vigilant.
Watch clips from Portugal and Spain here.
