At least 1 dead as swollen rivers flood streets in Spain

Swollen rivers have burst their banks in north and northeastern Spain, causing the death of at least one person

Spain Weather (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Swollen rivers burst their banks in north and northeastern Spain with the flooding blamed Sunday for the death of at least one person.

Emergency services said they retrieved the body of a 61-year-old man from inside the cab of his submerged van in a river in the Navarra region.

The man was reported missing on Friday and his vehicle was spotted the following day, but the fast-flowing river made a rescue operation impossible, officials said.

The combination of a heavy, dayslong storm and thawing snow brought a surge in the River Ebro and its tributaries, Spanish meteorological services said.

The Ebro’s flow rate doubled from Friday to Sunday and surpassed the rate that in 2015 caused widespread flooding in the region, authorities said.

The flooding since Friday’s surge cut numerous roads and flooded streets, notably in the medieval city of Tudela which is located in the Ebro Valley about 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Madrid