Ten people have died and at least two others are missing after flash flooding in the county of Llevant on the island of Mallorca, which has seen as much as 230 litres of rain per square metre. One of the victims, found by rescuers this morning, is as of yet unidentified. Bodies have been found in the towns of s'Illot, Artà and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, the latter being the place which saw the worst of the torrential rain.
Former Artà mayor, Rafael Gili, 71, of the former Unió Mallorquina party, died in the town. He was twice a town councillor: first from 2004 to 2005, then again during the 2007-11 legislature. Also among the victims are two Brits whose identities haven't yet been announced. They were travelling yesterday evening in a taxi when a strong flow of water from an overflowing river overtook the vehicle in Sant Llorenç. The driver of the taxi is among the missing.
Conseqüències dels més de 200 mm caiguts al municipi d,Artà (Mallorca). pic.twitter.com/lQPnqpAj09
— lluís obiols (@llobiols) 9 d’octubre de 2018
Rescue teams are continuing the search for at least two people who disappeared in Sant Llorenç, the Civil Guard has said. They add that more than a hundred people have had to leave their homes and be relocated. Almost 400 members of the different emergency services are involved in the search. Three people believed missing have since been found after they took refuge in a train station.
Spanish king Felipe VI has called the president of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, to express his sympathy, and the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has visited the area.
A meeting was held at 8:30am today of the advisory group for the autonomous community's plan for floods, at the local headquarters of 112 (the emergency phone number in many EU countries) in Palma, Mallorca, to coordinate the response to events.
Acab de parlar amb la vicepresidenta del Govern de l'Estat, @carmencalvo_ i la ministra @meritxell_batet. Hem demanat ajuda a l'Estat per actuar a Sant Llorenç. Demanam màxima precaució. Informació oficial a l'@112IllesBalears.
— Francina Armengol (@F_Armengol) 9 d'octubre de 2018
Translation: I've just spoken with the deputy prime minister of the Spanish government, Carmen Calvo, and minister [of territorial policy] Meritxell Batet. I've asked for the state's help taking action in Sant Llorenç. We call for maximum caution. Official information from @122IllesBalears.
According to an update from the Mallorca Council, nine roads in the east of the island remain closed. The emergency services ask everyone to stay inside and said that no student should go to school today in the towns of Sant Llorenç, la Colònia de Sant Pere, Artà or Son Servera.
#InundacionsIB3 Primeres imatges aèries de la catàstrofe de #Mallorca. Aquesta és la zona afectada del Llevant: https://t.co/1fJyNvCwqb pic.twitter.com/9Q1lolHx8I
— IB3 Notícies (@IB3noticies) 10 d’octubre de 2018