Recent flooding in the northeastern Spanish city of Zaragosa led to frightening scenes for motorists who happened to be out at the wrong time. Dramatic videos show motorists clinging to the tops of their cars as they are carried away by the torrent.
The incident occurred last week, following storms that dumped 54.2 liters per square meter (1.3 gallon/square foot) of rain in an hour in some parts of the city. That led to severe flooding in a variety of areas, including near Barranco de la Muerta, where the most harrowing conditions were reported.
First responders involved in rescue operations were forced to use a variety of equipment, including the ladders on fire trucks, and an all-terrain vehicle normally used to rescue people who are trapped in forest fires, reports Euro Weekly. In all, authorities rescued more than a dozen people who were trapped in their vehicles, or who had managed to exit them and had climbed trees to get out of the water.
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Fortunately, the methods were successful and, miraculously, no injuries were reported as a result of the flooding, which occurred on July 6. In addition to sweeping motorists away in their vehicles, the flash flooding also caused a number of other disturbances around the area.
Eight people had to be evacuated from their homes, among them four children, as a preventative measure due to water breaching the structure. A section of the local A23 highway was shut down, traffic lights were affected, public transit routes were diverted or halted, and local crops were destroyed.
Zaragosa Mayor Natalia Chueca expressed solidarity with the residents who were surprised by the severity of the flooding, after they shared their experiences of the storm, per The Express. She stated that the city’s goal was to return to normalcy as fast as possible.