A damaged car sits elevated as people walk along a mud-covered street after torrential rains caused flooding in La Alcudia, Valencia region, Spain, October 30, 2024. REUTERS/Eva Manez
(Reuters) -LaLiga and the Spanish FA (RFEF) have requested that all soccer matches scheduled to be held at Valencia over the weekend be postponed, including Saturday's clash between Real Madrid and Valencia, after the worst flash floods in decades swept the eastern region of the country, killing at least 95 people.
Pending a decision from the RFEF Competition Committee on Thursday, the LaLiga match between Villarreal and Rayo Vallecano, and three more in the second division are also expected to be suspended.
RFEF had postponed six midweek Copa del Rey matches featuring LaLiga clubs like Valencia, Getafe and Real Sociedad after authorities advised against all non-essential travel in the region.
"....the RFEF has received, from LaLiga and at the request of the clubs, the postponement of the matches of the 12th matchday of the First Division and the 13th matchday of the Second Division that were to be played in the Valencian Community during this weekend," the RFEF said in a statement.
LaLiga clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, expressed their condolences to the victims of the flood affecting the areas of Valencia, Albacete and Andalusia.
"Barcelona wishes to express its sympathy to the relatives of the victims and our solidarity with the counties in Valencia and parts of Albacete and Andalusia affected by the torrential rain," the Catalan club said in a statement.
LaLiga said in a statement on Wednesday a minute's silence will be observed at all matches in the next two rounds.
"LaLiga expresses its condolences and those of all the clubs of Spanish football to the families and friends of the victims and the missing persons," it added.
Valencia made their stadium available as a drop-off point for citizen donations of food and essential items after the club teamed up with Valencia Food Bank to help those affected.
Motor sports also faced the brunt of the torrential rain, with Formula E testing being affected at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit - which is set to host the final race of the MotoGP season in two weeks time.
"Due to damage to the main access road caused by a burst river bank nearby, the circuit is currently inaccessible by vehicle," Formula E said in a statement.
"Alternative access routes in and out of the circuit are currently being investigated."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha, Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru and Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Peter Rutherford, Christian Radnedge and Ed Osmond)
