Search for Texas flood victims to resume after pause due to heavy rains
Those efforts along the Guadalupe River were halted on Sunday after a new round of severe weather led to high water rescues elsewhere and prompted fears that waterways could surge again above their banks.
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Is it safe to travel to Spain? What to know after severe floods hit the country
Torrential rain and strong winds have caused mass flooding across the northeastern region of Spain, turning streets into rivers and damaging homes. Cars were captured on camera floating down the El Cardener River in Catalonia after it swelled, while other vehicles were completely submerged. Two people are reportedly missing after witnesses said they saw them fall into the Foix River in Cubelles, around 50km from Barcelona, with local reporters saying that the fire brigade believes they were swept away by the river. A search is being conducted to try to find the pair. Meanwhile, at least 71 patients were evacuated from a hospital near Barcelona amid the flash floods. The floods have affected popular holiday destinations such as Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. Here's what you should know about the recent floods in Spain and the latest travel advice. Several holiday hotspots and residential areas were first hit by severe flooding at the end of last week, with alerts issued for regions such as Huesca, Teruel, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, and Castellón on Saturday 12 July. The flooding has reached parts of northeastern of Spain, with some areas seeing 100mm of rain in one hour, the Spanish meteorological agency Aemet said. Red and orange warnings were issued by Aemet on Saturday, with warnings that the 'danger is extraordinary' and urging people to take extreme precautions. Residents in the Ribera del Ebro region were advised to refrain from travelling and avoid basements, cellars, and underground spaces over the weekend. Flood water flows as it rains in Igualada, Spain on 12 July (Jordi Miserachs) Footage captured by emergency services shows some streets transformed into rivers, while vehicles were submerged by water after they were pelted by heavy rain and thunderstorms. By the evening on Saturday, the red and orange alerts were slowly downgraded until Aemet deemed that warnings no longer needed to be in place as the storm receded. Rain continued on Sunday, but not nearly as severe as on Friday and Saturday. Flights in and out of Barcelona El Prat Airport have been running as normal over the weekend and into Monday, aside from a few cancellations to and from Manchester, Porto and Spanish domestic destinations. Sunday night saw some longer delays, including a 3.50pm Ryanair flight to Bristol that left at 7.15pm. One Delta Air Lines flight on its way to New York was forced to divert back to Barcelona on Saturday shortly after take-off due to damage to the aircraft caused by hail. 'The flight landed safely in Barcelona and customers were reaccommodated on alternate flights to their final destinations,' the airline said. If the cancelled flight is covered by UK law, passengers can choose between getting an alternative flight or receiving a refund. If the passenger received less than 14 days' notice of a cancellation, they may also be able to claim compensation. However, this is unlikely if the cancellation was not the airline's fault. Situations such as extreme weather, strikes or other 'extraordinary circumstances' are not eligible for compensation. As of Monday morning, there is no specific travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regarding the recent floods. The FCDO does give general advice about flooding in Spain: 'Flash flooding can cause travel disruption and damage to property and infrastructure. Check weather warnings from Spain's meteorological office (AEMET) before travel and follow the advice of the local authorities.' As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to Spain, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund. The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it's best to contact them if you're looking to postpone. There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim travel insurance due to safety concerns unless the Foreign Office advice changes. In terms of travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
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Grand Canyon North Rim closed amid raging wildfires
Firefighters in Arizona worked Monday to contain a pair of fast-moving wildfires that destroyed a historic lodge in Grand Canyon National Park, closed a section of the park for the rest of the season and prompted calls for an investigation into federal authorities' response to the blazes. The two wildfires burning at or near the park's North Rim include the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire. The blazes have consumed about 45,000 acres of land as of July 13. Park officials said the Dragon Bravo Fire, which burned 5,000 acres within the park, destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge – the only hotel located inside the national park at the North Rim. Between 50 to 80 structures have been lost in the fire, officials said, including administrative buildings, visitor facilities and other historic cabins in the park. Lightning strikes ignited the fires this month and a combination of strong winds, low humidity and scorching daily temperatures led to their rapid expansion. Here's what we know about the wildfires. The Dragon Bravo Fire was ignited by a lightning strike on July 4. Initially, fire officials sought to manage the blaze by setting up containment lines and halting its growth. But over the weekend, powerful wind gusts up to 40 mph led the fire to expand 500 acres overnight, swallowing dozens of structures including historic cabins in the area. It also impacted a water treatment facility, leading officials to evacuate some firefighting personnel and halt aerial operations because of a possible chlorine leak. No injuries or deaths were reported as staff and hikers were evacuated from the North Rim area before the blaze exploded in size. Park officials said the North Rim will remain closed for the rest of the season, which runs from May 15 to October 15. Visitors to the more popular South Rim, which is open all year, were advised to stay updated on possible air quality alerts. "The fire is being managed with an aggressive full suppression strategy," the National Park Service said, adding, "Fire behavior is still very active." The Grand Canyon Lodge sat perched on the canyon's edge and offered guests panoramic views of the natural wonder. The lodge opened in 1937 after the original building burned to the ground in a wildfire in September 1932. The new property was made up of the main lodge building, 23 deluxe cabins and over 90 regular cabins, according to the park service. The lodge building was made of a limestone façade that was sourced nearby, and massive ponderosa pine trees were turned into support beams to hold up a sloped roof capable of supporting heavy loads of snow. "We are devastated by the loss of Grand Canyon Lodge and historic buildings on the North Rim," read a statement from the National Park Service. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on social media that the lodge's destruction was "Heartbreaking news for Arizona & everyone who loves this special place." Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned the federal government's handling of the Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed numerous structures on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. Hobbs said in a post on X that after a lightning strike started the fire, the federal government "chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer." "I am calling on the federal government for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the management of the Fire and a report detailing the decisions that led to this devastating outcome," she wrote. "As someone who was born and raised in Arizona, I know what the Grand Canyon National Park means to so many people, not just in Arizona, but all over the world, and how devastating it is to see this damage done to one of Arizona's most cherished landmarks." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grand Canyon wildfire: Historic lodge, cabins destroyed; evacuations
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
New floods lead to rescues and evacuations across Texas
A storm system brought a new round of dangerous flooding across North and Central Texas on Sunday, leading to rescues and evacuations in multiple counties and suspending search efforts for victims of catastrophic floods that killed at least 120 people in the Hill Country a week ago. Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday afternoon that the state was conducting rescues in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties, with evacuations taking place in Lampasas, Menard, Kimble and Sutton counties. "We are expanding operations in all affected counties — all while monitoring the rising waters in Kerrville," Abbott said in a post on X. Kerrville, in Kerr County, is where rescue and recovery operations have focused after the Fourth of July floods in the Hill Country. Dozens of Texans had been rescued from the Lampasas area by mid-Sunday afternoon, Abbott said. One rescue was made in Schleicher County Sunday morning, according to the county Sheriff's Office. Some rescues have also been made in San Saba County, Emergency Management Coordinator Marsha Hardy said, as police and volunteers spread out this morning to alert residents of both mandatory and recommended evacuation orders. Hardy said the evacuations have gone without issue, and she hopes the rest of the rain won't cause any more major problems so they can shift to recovery efforts. 'It's now a matter, once again, of everybody working their way back home, probably tomorrow, and seeing what kind of damage they might have received,' Hardy said. Sunday afternoon, U.S. Rep. August Pfluger R-Texas, who represents San Saba, posted: 'Please take this seriously as the river is rising faster than it did on July 4.' Officials in Kendall and Menard counties told residents in some parts that evacuations are currently voluntary. Emergency crews in Kerr County suspended their search for victims of last week's flash floods on Sunday morning, resuming in the western parts of Kerr County by 3 p.m. The Ingram Fire Department ordered search crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor until further notice, warning the potential for flash floods was high. Search and rescue efforts were expected to resume on Monday, depending on river flow, Fire Department spokesperson Brian Lochte said. On a Facebook post, the department warned area residents to stay away from river beds and roads. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported "major" floods at the San Saba River at San Saba, which reached 27 feet by 1:30 p.m. Sunday, and at the Lampasas River at Kempner, which reached 33 feet. San Saba County Judge Jody Fauley issued a mandatory evacuation order for some parts of the county as the National Weather Service forecast the San Saba River would crest higher than 31 feet by midnight. By 3:20 p.m. Sunday, floodwaters had begun to recede in Lampasas, said Julian Thorpe, a communications representative at the Lampasas Sheriff's Office. 'We've made sure everyone has been evacuated from the areas that need to be evacuated. The only ongoing issue that I'm aware of is that the Kempner bridge is blocked off,' Thorpe said, adding that he didn't have details about rescues in the area. NOAA also reported 'moderate' floods at the Leon River at Gatesville and Cowhouse Creek near Pidcoke in Coryell County and at the Llano River near Junction in Kimble County. Sunday evening, the National Weather Service extended its flood watch for the region to 9 a.m. Monday, explaining that one to three inches of rain was possible overnight. An alert from the weather service's Austin-San Antonio office issued early Sunday warned that the Central Texas region is particularly susceptible to flooding as the soil remains 'near to saturation or at saturation levels' from the July 4 storms. That weekend, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on July 4, washing away homes and vehicles. Ever since, searchers have used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. This summer, flash flooding driven by bursts of heavy rain turned deadly elsewhere in Texas. In San Antonio in June, more than 7 inches of rain fell over a span of hours, prompting dozens of rescues from the fast-rising floodwaters and killing at least 13. With information from the Associated Press Disclosure: Facebook has been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual , happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas' most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
