The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) is verifying the information regarding the disappearance of at least 16 Romanian citizens, following the floods in Spain. The consular office has notified the Spanish authorities and checks are underway, a press release said. The MAE asked the authorities in Valencia to notify the consular office regarding the existence of possible Romanian citizens among the victims and people affected by the floods.
The Romanian Consulate in Castellón de la Plana undertook, as an emergency, steps with the local authorities to check if there are Romanian citizens among those affected. Since the beginning of the floods, the representatives of the Romanian Consulate in Castellón de la Plana have provided support to Romanian citizens who contacted the consular office, via the emergency telephone, to request information and consular assistance.
The representatives of the consular office emphasized the need to comply with the instructions of the local authorities. Until this moment, all Romanian citizens who called the emergency phone are out of any danger, according to the statement.
“At the same time, representatives of the consulate are verifying the information regarding the reporting of the disappearance of five Romanian citizens. In this sense, the consular office has notified the Spanish authorities, the checks are ongoing”, according to the MAE.
The Romanian Consulate in Castellón de la Plana is in constant contact with local authorities and stands ready to provide consular assistance if needed. Consular representatives are also in touch with citizens who have reported facing difficult situations, working with local authorities to find solutions. Romanian citizens may request consular support by calling the Romanian Consulate in Castellón de la Plana at +34 964.203.331; +34 964.216.008; +34 964.217.836; +34 964.203.234; +34 964.216.172; +34 964.212.446. Calls are redirected to the Call Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS), where they are handled 24/7. For urgent matters, citizens may also use the Consulate’s emergency line: +34 677 842 467.
At least 158 victims
At least 158 people have died—70 in the Valencian Community and two women in Castilla-La Mancha—due to floods caused by the most severe DANA (isolated high-altitude depression) of this century so far. This toll also includes dozens of missing persons in the province of Valencia, as well as in Letur (Albacete), a town that experienced severe flash floods, and in Cuenca, according to the Spanish public broadcaster’s website.
The Spanish government has declared three days of mourning, starting Thursday, after the catastrophic floods that affected the southeast of the country, announced Angel Victor Torres, the minister in charge of territorial policy.
The EU has offered support to Spain, the president of the European Commission said. In a post on social media, Ursula von der Leyen said “Europe is ready to help”. “What we’re seeing in Spain is devastating. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the rescue teams. The EU has already offered support. Copernicus has been activated. The #EUCivilProtection can be mobilised,” reads a X post by Ursula von der Leyen.
The Spanish defense services mobilized air assets, military psychologists and trained dogs to locate the bodies. Dozens of people spent the night in Valencia on top of trucks or cars, on the roofs of shops or gas stations, or stuck in their vehicles on blocked roads until they were rescued. The rains caused power outages affecting 155,000 people, road closures in several eastern and southeastern provinces, and high-speed rail service between Madrid and the Valencian Community and the Mediterranean corridor to Barcelona will be suspended all day.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has raised the risk level in Barcelona, especially in the coastal area, due to the danger of accumulation of 40 liters per square meter in one hour. There is also an orange warning for thunderstorms with possible hail in the same area. The orange warning, the second on a scale of three, will be in force until 15:00 and is in addition to the orange warnings already in force in Cadiz, Seville (until midnight for 80 liters) and Castellon (until 14:00 for 100 of liters in 12 hours).
The flood left behind walls made of cars. Swirling, mud-colored waters swept away several Spanish cities. The leader of the eastern region of Valencia said Wednesday morning that several bodies had been found in flood-affected areas, without specifying how many. Several flights from Valencia airport were diverted, while high-speed trains between Madrid and Valencia were suspended. The state meteorological agency AEMET has issued a red alert in the Valencia region and the second highest alert level in parts of Andalusia. The heavy rain has been attributed to a phenomenon known as gota fría, or “cold drop”, which occurs when cold air moves over the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This creates atmospheric instability, causing warm, saturated air to rise rapidly, leading to the formation of clouds that produce heavy rain.
Photos and video sent to our editorial office by Romanians living in Spain