Spain battles forest fire a short drive from flash flood
The blaze, near Valencia, forced more than 1,000 people from their homes. In nearby Catalonia, civil defense teams carried out 200 rescue operations after floods trapped residents in cars and homes.
A forest fire in eastern Spain prompted the evacuation of approximately 1,000 residents on Saturday, according to authorities. This blaze is among hundreds being fought across Europe due to record high temperatures in the Mediterranean region. Located just 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the Costa Dorada, the fire is nearing Gatova, a village of 450 people north of Valencia.
Footage showed the flames approaching built-up areas. Spanish military units reported using helicopters and aircraft to combat the flames, which had already burned over 400 hectares by Friday evening.
The same area suffered flash floods overnight, trapping individuals in vehicles and damaging structures. Roads in coastal towns like El Vendrell, Coma-ruga, and Torredembarra were partially submerged due to heavy rain. Seven people were injured, with several more hurt when walls collapsed at a port and a campsite. Rescue missions by firefighters totaled over 200 as they pulled people from inundated buildings.
Three individuals were injured by a wall collapse near Barcelona's Roda de Bera port. Campsite residents, numbering around 300, were evacuated and sought shelter at a nearby sports center.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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