British man, 71, dies after being rescued from floods in Spain

Date: 2024-10-30
Cars being swept away by flood waters
Cars being swept away by the water on 29 October after floods preceded by heavy rains caused a river to overflow its banks in the town of Alora, Malága, Spain. Photograph: Gregorio Marrero/AP
Cars being swept away by the water on 29 October after floods preceded by heavy rains caused a river to overflow its banks in the town of Alora, Malága, Spain. Photograph: Gregorio Marrero/AP

British man, 71, dies after being rescued from floods in Spain

Unnamed victim, who lived in Málaga, died from cardiac arrests and hypothermia, and is one of more than 95 deaths

A 71-year-old British man has died after he was rescued from the floods in Spain, a local government leader has said.

He died hours after being rescued from his home on the outskirts of Alhaurin de la Torre, Málaga, the president of the Andalusian government said on Wednesday.

Juanma Moreno added that the man, who has not been named, died in hospital after suffering hypothermia and cardiac arrests.

He paid respects to the Briton’s family in the statement on X.

At least 95 people have died in eastern Spain after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted rail lines and major roads in the worst natural disaster to hit the nation in recent memory.

Emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed a death toll of 62 people on Wednesday.

The central government office for Castilla La Mancha region added that an 88-year-old woman was found dead in the city of Cuenca.

Rainstorms on Tuesday caused flooding in a wide swathe of southern and eastern Spain, stretching from Málaga to Valencia.

Floods of mud-coloured water tumbled vehicles down streets at high speeds, while pieces of wood swirled in the water with household items.

‘We were trapped like rats’: Spain’s floods bring devastation and despair
Read more

Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and rubber boats to reach drivers trapped on the roofs of cars.

The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said dozens of towns had been flooded.

“For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain,” he said in a televised address.

“Our priority is to help you. We are putting all the resources necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy.”

Share
Reuse this content