Mum sobs as she begs for help to find daughter missing for 4 days in Valencia floods as 10k troops deployed & 213 dead
A DEVASTATED mum has made a tearful plea to help find her missing daughter after the catastrophic floods in Spain.
At least 213 people have been killed in the floods – with nearly 2,000 still missing as 10,000 troops join the frantic rescue efforts.
Janine Mercado, who has not been seen by her family in four days following Valencia‘s floods, is among the many missing.
Speaking to Sky News, Janine’s tearful mum has begged rescuers to find her.
She said: “I ask for help in finding Janine. We’re looking for her and if she is out there and suddenly doesn’t remember us, Janine please contact us.
Sobbing, the heartbroken mum added: “Your family is looking for you. We haven’t stopped searching for you. We love you very much.”
“It’s been four days since I’ve heard anything from her,” Janine’s dad added.
“I searched for her at the hospital. I also went to file a report.
“I don’t see anyone looking for her. I’m desperate.
“She called me and I just got on the subway and couldn’t answer her.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Saturday that 5,000 soldiers will be deployed – on top of the at least 2,000 already on the ground.
A further 5,000 police officers will also be sent to flood-hit areas, as well as a Spanish navy ship to accommodate helicopters.
Addressing the nation, the PM said: “We are talking about the largest deployment of state security forces and bodies of the armed forces that has ever been made in our country in times of peace.
“There are still dozens of people looking for their loved ones and hundreds of households mourning the loss of a relative, a friend or a neighbour.”
Rescue teams continue to hunt for victims trapped in flooded garages and cars in Valencia, sparking fears of a “mass grave.”
Gut-wrenching images of Bonaire Shopping Centre near Valencia show escalators leading down to the basement car park underwater.
It comes as:
- Flooded car park in Valencia sparks fears of a “mass grave”
- A hugely popular Spanish tourist hotspot goes into lockdown
- Moment a waterspout tornado lands during devastating floods
- Officials desperately try to rescue people caught in the disaster
- Devastated towns are plagued by looting
- Former Valencia player is killed in flash floods
And it’s causing concern about the final death toll from one of Europe’s worst-ever natural disasters.
Workers at the centre were previously seen using fire extinguishers to desperately escape ground-floor stores after getting trapped in waist-high water.
Bonaire, one of the country’s largest centres, would normally have been packed with Saturday shoppers after Friday’s All Saints’ Day Bank Holiday.
Instead silence now reigns over the centre still closed following Tuesday’s disaster which left a devastating panorama of smashed store windows and mountains of mud-caked debris.
Washing machines and other domestic appliances were also left tossed around by the flood water and dumped on their sides.
Local press have described the current scenario there as “dantesque.”
One outlet said: “The most shocking scene is that of the escalators disappearing and sinking into the muddy pool the Bonaire underground car park has become.
“The brown water is still there.
“For sure there are dozens of unusable vehicles floating around.
“It remains to be seen whether there are also victims who were trapped, because in their attempts to escape many people tried to leave by taking their vehicles.”
Workers at the shopping centre say there were less people than normal there the day of the flooding because of a red weather alert.
But they have estimated the number in their high hundreds.
Yellow and orange warnings remain in place for parts of the Valencia region and Catalonia through the weekend.
A telephone number has been set up for locals to call in and register missing relatives with 1,900 already registered, el Diario reports.
On Thursday, 600 people who were registered as missing were found.
Officials are now going through the grim process of identifying the bodies – with a team of 100 forensic experts only solving 17 so far.
Search and rescue workers are going car-to-car as many people are thought to have drowned inside their motors as they returned from work when the flash floods hit.
Around 15,000 homes remain without electricity and railway services between Valencia and Barcelona have reopened.
As bodies are identified stories are emerging about who they were, including a 71-year-old Brit who died in hospital.
Among those tragically killed in the horrific flash floods is a former Valencia CF player.
The Spanish football club has paid tributes to José Castillejo, 28, a midfielder who also played for teams like Torre Levante, Paterna and Eldense.
It said in a statement: “We regret the death of José Castillejo, a victim of the Dana disasters.
“He was part of the club’s Academy until his youth stage and has played for several teams in the Valencian Community. RIP.”
The horrifically high death toll has sparked outrage among residents, with some accusing Spanish authorities of not warning people about the dangers posed by the weather soon enough.
On Saturday thousands of volunteers gathered at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia to begin the massive clean up in the worst-hit areas of the city.
The number of people who registered to help is at over 100,000, according to the Valencian Community Volunteer Platform.
It comes as parts of Majorca are under storm lockdown this weekend, with residents and tourists being urged to stay indoors.
Dramatic footage shows drivers navigating through high floodwaters and massive water torrents rushing across towns as the storm has pounded coastal areas and flooded roadways.
After posting a video of a terrifying lighting show over her villa, a tourist said Friday night’s storm “brought heavy downpour and strong thunderstorms”.
The weather system, she claimed, had left “parts of the island no longer accessible” and some roads unusable.
Some motorists were also reportedly rescued from their vehicles in the well-known coastal resort of Santa Ponca.
Local officials said that advising people to stay at home has somewhat reduced the severity of the tragedy as no fatalities have been reported so far across the Brit hotspot island.
A severe weather front passed through the Balearics Friday night, pouring more than 100 litres of water per square metre, according to the State Meteorological Agency.
Emergency services responded to 87 incidents, the majority of which were flooding on public highways and in basements.
King Charles has said he is “heartbroken” by the catastrophic floods in a new message from the Royal Family.
In a heart-felt letter to Spain’s Felipe XI on Saturday, the King wrote: “Your Majesty, My wife and I were utterly heartbroken to learn of the destruction and devastation following the catastrophic flooding in Southern and Eastern Spain.
“So many in the United Kingdom have strong, personal ties to Spain, and our nations are bound by so much that we have in common.
“We extend our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to you and to the people of Spain for the tragic loss of so many lives.
“Our special thoughts, prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with all those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods this terrible week. Charles R.”
The president of China, like King Charles, has sent a message of condolence to King Felipe of Spain.
According to a statement sent by the Chinese embassy in Spain, Xi Jinping was “shocked to learn” that heavy storms and floods had affected various parts of Spain, resulting in countless casualties and property damage.
“The Chinese president, on behalf of the Chinese government and its people, expressed deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.
“Xi also said he believes that under the leadership of the king and the Spanish government, people in flood-affected areas will be able to overcome this catastrophe and rebuild their homes as soon as possible.”
Why was Spain hit by flooding?
Spain was hit by flash floods after the east of the country was hit by a meteorological phenomena known as a ‘DANA’.
A DANA, or a ‘cold drop’ is technically a system where there is an isolated depression in the atmosphere is at high levels.
In layman’s terms, more warm and moist Mediterranean air than usual was sucked high into the atmosphere after a cold system hit the country from the south.
The easterly wind then pushed all those clouds and rain into eastern Spain.
Three to four months of rain fell in some places over the space of 24 hours.
The DANA system hit southern Spain as it arrived from Morocco yesterday and is now expected to head west over southern Portugal.