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Two Britons among five dead in Majorca flash floods
MADRID, Oct 10, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – At least five people have died, including
two British nationals, and several others are missing in flash flooding on
the holiday island of Majorca, authorities and emergency services said
Wednesday.
On Twitter, emergency services in the Balearic Islands said four people had
died in Sant Llorenc des Cardassar, a village inland, and a fifth person in
S’Illot on the coast.
“Several are missing,” a spokeswoman for the emergency services added,
without giving further details.
Antonia Bauza, deputy mayor of Sant Llorenc des Cardassar, told Spanish
radio that two British nationals were among the dead.
She added that there were also Britons among the missing.
Neither the emergency services, police nor the British foreign office were
able to confirm this when contacted by AFP.
The flooding happened after the island was hit by pounding rain in the
space of a few hours on Tuesday, the regional government said on Twitter.
The worst affected area lies 60 kilometres (37 miles) east of the capital
Palma de Majorca.
Footage broadcast by Spanish television and local media showed cars swept
away by raging waters and houses flooded.
Rescue workers toiled overnight to look for missing people.
Around 100 extra emergency workers were dispatched from the Spanish
mainland, along with two helicopters, eight vehicles and search dogs, the
country’s emergency military unit said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted his “solidarity and support
for the relatives and friends of the victims, and for all those affected by
this tragic flooding.”
BSS/AFP/MRI/1532 HRS