Latest news with #RosaVeleda
AsiaOne
09-07-2025
- Climate
- AsiaOne
More than 18,000 people in lockdown as wildfire rages in Catalonia, World News
XERTA, Spain — Spanish authorities ordered more than 18,000 residents of the northeastern Tarragona province to remain indoors on Tuesday (July 8) and several dozen were evacuated as a wildfire raged out of control, consuming almost 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of vegetation. Large parts of Spain are on high alert for wildfires after the country experienced its hottest June on record. Two people died in a wildfire on July 1 in the region of Catalonia where Tarragona is located. The latest fire broke out early on Monday in a remote area near the village of Pauls, where strong winds and rugged terrain have hampered firefighting efforts, authorities said. An emergency military unit was deployed early on Tuesday alongside more than 300 firefighters working in the area. "Since midnight, firefighters have been battling the blaze with gusts of wind reaching up to 90 kmh," Catalonia's regional firefighting service said, adding that the strong Mistral wind was expected to ease by the afternoon. Overnight, fire engines raced the winding roads of the Pauls Mountains, surrounded by flames, as crews assessed and tried to contain the blaze. In the neighbouring villages of Xerta and Aldover, residents spent a sleepless night as the flames threatened their homes. "(There has been) a lot of fear and a lot of crying because we are already on the edge of the fire. Last night, because of the wind that was blowing the fire and the smoke, we couldn't leave our house. Terrible, this has never been seen before," Rosa Veleda, 76, told Reuters. Authorities said they had prevented the fire from spreading across the Ebro River, which would have worsened the situation. Approximately 30 per cent of the affected area lies within the Ports Natural Park, and officials are investigating the fire's origins. [[nid:719776]]
The Star
08-07-2025
- Climate
- The Star
More than 18,000 people in lockdown as wildfire rages in Catalonia
A helicopter helps to extinguish an ongoing wildfire in Xerta, which is one of the confined villages in the Tarrragona province in Catalonia, Spain, July 8, 2025. REUTERS/Nacho Doce XERTA, Spain (Reuters) -Spanish authorities ordered more than 18,000 residents of the northeastern Tarragona province to remain indoors on Tuesday and several dozen were evacuated as a wildfire raged out of control, consuming almost 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of vegetation. Large parts of Spain are on high alert for wildfires after the country experienced its hottest June on record. Two people died in a wildfire on July 1 in the region of Catalonia where Tarragona is located. The latest fire broke out early on Monday in a remote area near the village of Pauls, where strong winds and rugged terrain have hampered firefighting efforts, authorities said. An emergency military unit was deployed early on Tuesday alongside more than 300 firefighters working in the area. "Since midnight, firefighters have been battling the blaze with gusts of wind reaching up to 90 kilometres per hour (56 miles per hour)," Catalonia's regional firefighting service said, adding that the strong Mistral wind was expected to ease by the afternoon. Overnight, fire engines raced the winding roads of the Pauls Mountains, surrounded by flames, as crews assessed and tried to contain the blaze. In the neighbouring villages of Xerta and Aldover, residents spent a sleepless night as the flames threatened their homes. "(There has been) a lot of fear and a lot of crying because we are already on the edge of the fire. Last night, because of the wind that was blowing the fire and the smoke, we couldn't leave our house. Terrible, this has never been seen before," Rosa Veleda, 76, told Reuters. Authorities said they had prevented the fire from spreading across the Ebro River, which would have worsened the situation. Approximately 30% of the affected area lies within the Ports Natural Park, and officials are investigating the fire's origins. (Writing and additional reporting by Emma PinedoEditing by Andrei Khalip and Gareth Jones)
Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Straits Times
More than 18,000 people in lockdown as wildfire rages in Catalonia
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A helicopter helps to extinguish an ongoing wildfire in Xerta, which is one of the confined villages in the Tarrragona province in Catalonia, Spain, July 8, 2025. REUTERS/Nacho Doce XERTA, Spain - Spanish authorities ordered more than 18,000 residents of the northeastern Tarragona province to remain indoors on Tuesday and several dozen were evacuated as a wildfire raged out of control, consuming almost 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of vegetation. Large parts of Spain are on high alert for wildfires after the country experienced its hottest June on record. Two people died in a wildfire on July 1 in the region of Catalonia where Tarragona is located. The latest fire broke out early on Monday in a remote area near the village of Pauls, where strong winds and rugged terrain have hampered firefighting efforts, authorities said. An emergency military unit was deployed early on Tuesday alongside more than 300 firefighters working in the area. "Since midnight, firefighters have been battling the blaze with gusts of wind reaching up to 90 kilometres per hour (56 miles per hour)," Catalonia's regional firefighting service said, adding that the strong Mistral wind was expected to ease by the afternoon. Overnight, fire engines raced the winding roads of the Pauls Mountains, surrounded by flames, as crews assessed and tried to contain the blaze. In the neighbouring villages of Xerta and Aldover, residents spent a sleepless night as the flames threatened their homes. "(There has been) a lot of fear and a lot of crying because we are already on the edge of the fire. Last night, because of the wind that was blowing the fire and the smoke, we couldn't leave our house. Terrible, this has never been seen before," Rosa Veleda, 76, told Reuters. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore NDP 2025: Tank that bumped into traffic light lost steering and braking power due to faulty part Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Singapore AI cannot supplant learning, it must enable it: Desmond Lee Asia China warns Trump on tariffs, threatens retaliation on supply chain deals Multimedia 'I suspect he's cheating': She finds proof when spouses stray Opinion Here's what happened after some US schools started locking up students' phones Authorities said they had prevented the fire from spreading across the Ebro River, which would have worsened the situation. Approximately 30% of the affected area lies within the Ports Natural Park, and officials are investigating the fire's origins. REUTERS
