UK sisters to make ‘heartbreaking’ journey after losing parents in Spain floods | World | News
The torrential rains in Spain have claimed the lives of at least 219 people, with 93 more still missing.
Currently, a number of military and civil emergency workers are scouring the area for more victims, searching among garages, underground car parks and shopping centres.
The destruction and death toll has ignited anger from Spanish people towards local authorities for what has been deemed by some a poor handling of the disaster.
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the flooding was one of the worst in Europe this century.
Among the death and destruction, two sisters from the UK are preparing to make the “heartbreaking” journey to Spain after losing their parents to the recent flooding.
Terri Turner, 74, and her husband Don Turner, 78, lost their lives when their car was involved in the flash flooding in the Valencia region.
The couple’s daughters, Renee Turner and Ruth O’Loughlin, both from Burntwood, Staffordshire, will fly out to Valencia from Stansted Airport on Saturday, November 9.
The sisters said: “It’s not like a trip that we used to make to see mum and dad to have dinner and watch films with them.
“We’re going over there because they’re not with us anymore and it’s going to be very heartbreaking for us.”
Upon arrival in Spain, the sister will meet the British Consulate and will then head to the police station, where they will formally identify their father as their mother has already been identified through her fingerprints.
“It’s dread I think, that’s the only way I can put it,” Ms Turner added.
She added: “We know mum and dad would have wanted to come home… the difficult thing will be looking through all their things, their bank details, pensions, everything like that – stuff we don’t want to do.”
Both sisters want to learn more about their parents’ death.
“Your mind conjures up all sorts of nightmarish scenarios. In my mind they probably drowned but we haven’t had that confirmed. It’s just something we don’t want to think about” said O’Loughlin.
“We need to know so we’re not conjuring up all these scenarios and we just pray to God that they didn’t suffer because it would break our hearts more than they’re already broken.”
The harrowing experience has been made easier by the British Consulate’s efforts and by people from Spain, with Turner adding that “it’s amazing how people rally together when things happen”.
The British sisters are looking to help raise money for the Naturaleza y Animales dog rescue charity, where their parents were volunteers.
“We know what people need and our priorities are clear: saving lives, finding the bodies of the people who have died, and rebuilding the affected areas,” said Sanchez.
