Spain hit by devastating floods; At least 158 dead, several missing
Valencia: Flash floods in Spain have resulted in the tragic loss of at least 158 lives, with numerous individuals still missing. Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response unit have been deployed to the hardest-hit areas.
Cars are stacked upon each other, resembling fallen dominoes, while uprooted trees, downed power lines, and debris litter the streets, which are engulfed in mud in Valencia, located south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast, reported the Associated Press on Friday.
Luís Sánchez, a welder, recounted the harrowing experience of witnessing bodies floating in the water and attempting to rescue those trapped in their vehicles on the flooded V-31 highway. "The firefighters took the elderly first when they could get in. People were crying all over; they were trapped," he told the news organisation.
The floods transformed narrow streets into treacherous traps, destroying homes and businesses, and sweeping away people, cars and everything else in its path. Bridges have been destroyed, and roads are now unrecognisable.
In a televised address, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed solidarity with those affected, stating, "All of Spain weeps with all of you. We won't abandon you." He emphasised that the disaster is not over and pledged to mobilise all necessary resources for this tragedy.
This flood marks one of Spain’s deadliest natural disaster since 1973, when approximately 150 people lost their lives in the southeastern provinces of Granada, Murcia, and Almería.
Scientists warn that extreme weather events like the storm that struck Valencia are becoming increasingly severe, prolonged, and frequent due to human-induced climate change.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Gill, Mandhana win top BCCI awards
New Delhi (PTI): Prolific batters Shubman Gill and Smriti Mandhana were named the Best International Cricketers (Men's and Women's) at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 here on Sunday, recognising their outstanding performances in the 2024–2025 season.
Gill won the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award, while Mandhana received the award for the fifth time.
For Gill, it was his second Cricketer of the Year award after first winning it in 2023.
Former stars Roger Binny, Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj were honoured with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCCI's highest honour, recognising their outstanding service to Indian cricket.
India's five trophy-winning sides (2025 ICC Champions Trophy, 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, 2025 U-19 Women's World Cup, 2026 Men's U-19 World Cup, and 2026 T20 World Cup) were honoured as well on the occasion.
Gill enjoyed a stellar 2025 and established himself as one of the team's most dependable batters in the longer formats.
On the tour of England, skipper Gill led from the front in the five-Test series, finishing as the top run-getter with 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, including four centuries and a top score of 269.
Gill also played a pivotal role in India's Champions Trophy triumph last year, having entered the tournament as the No.1-ranked ODI batter in the world. He made an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh in India's opening match, and finished the tournament with 188 runs.
Mandhana finished 2025 with 1,703 international runs, including 1,362 in ODIs, the most by any woman in a calendar year. In doing so, Mandhana became the first batter in women's ODI history to score 1,000 runs in a single calendar year.
Mandhana also made handsome contributions to India's maiden Women's World Cup title triumph, aggregating 434 runs in nine matches to end as the tournament as India's leading run-scorer and the second-highest overall.
Before the World Cup, the left-hander Mandhana smashed a 50-ball century against Australia in New Delhi to register the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian batter, surpassing Virat Kohli's 52-ball effort.
Shafali Varma (Best Woman Cricketer Senior Domestic One-Day), Ira Jadhav (Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic), Harsh Dubey (Best All Rounder in the Ranji Trophy), and Ayush Mhatre (Best All Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions) too won awards for their strong performances across the 2024-25 domestic season.
