Madeira flood kills at least 40

Officials still unable to assess number missing

Last Updated: Sunday, February 21, 2010 | 9:36 AM ET Comments13Recommend29

The Associated Press

Muddy water surges through downtown Funchal, capital of the Madeira Islands, after heavy rains Saturday. (Octavio Passos/Associated Press)

The death toll from mudslides and flash flooding on the Portuguese island of Madeira rose to 40 people Sunday as the government rushed emergency aid to the resort haven.

More than 120 other people were injured and an unknown number were missing, authorities said.

Heavy rain lashed the island Saturday, turning some streets in the capital, Funchal, into raging rivers of mud, water and debris.

The death toll "will likely increase given the circumstances of this flood," said regional social services spokesman Francisco Ramos, adding that there were "great difficulties" in communications.

Ramos said the search for bodies will continue and that officials were "waiting for teams from the mainland to continue working on the ground." The initial death toll given Saturday was 32 people killed.

The heavy rain — the worst storm to hit the island since 1993 — also displaced 250 people.

Some residents had to hold on to railings or any sturdy object they could find so they weren't swept away by the torrents. A number of cars were caught by the force of the water, and the battered shells of overturned vehicles littered the streets.

Rescue workers wearing helmets helped people cross at places where the flow of the water wasn't so strong. A fire truck appeared to have slammed into a tree and rescuers on inflatable rafts navigated through streets looking for trapped residents.

Prime Minister Jose Socrates said he was "profoundly shocked" by the severity of the mudslides. He promised the government would provide help to ensure Madeira could begin recovery work as quickly as possible.

Some roads and bridges have been washed away while others are littered with uprooted trees, swept away cars and boulders, all hampering search and rescue efforts.

Divers, bridge repair specialists flown in

The weather improved Sunday, making it easier for rescue workers to move around.

A medical team backed up by divers and rescue experts was being sent Sunday aboard a C-130 transport plane to the archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, 900 kilometres southwest of Lisbon. The plane was also carrying telecommunications equipment to help repair damage, since the flash floods that swept down the mountainous island ripped out phone lines.

Army units based on the island mobilized rescue teams and two helicopters.

"Debris removal, personnel carriers and bridge specialist teams have been deployed," the army statement said.

Madeira is the main island of a Portuguese archipelago of the same name, which lies in the Atlantic off the northwest coast of Africa. The island is popular with British tourists.

Britain's Foreign Office said Sunday a "small number" of Britons had been hospitalized on Madeira. It did not provide further details, but added the government had not heard of any British fatalities.

© The Canadian Press, 2010

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