Madeira floods and mudslides kill 32

DEVASTATION AS FLASH FLOODS HIT THE ISLAND OF MADEIRA

At least 32 people have been killed in floods and mudslides after torrential rains hit the Portuguese island of Madeira, local authorities say.

Sixty-eight others were reported to have been taken to hospital for treatment on the Atlantic island, which is popular with foreign tourists.
It is not yet clear whether tourists are among the casualties.
The local civil protection service was "" by calls for help, a duty officer told Reuters news agency. overwhelmed
According to Portuguese media, the storms were the deadliest on Madeira since October 1993, when eight people died.

RESCUE TEAMS WORK ROUND THE CLOCK IN MADEIRA

by Robert Hall BBC News, Madeira

Flood waters and mudslides have torn the heart out of Madeira's capital

Along the seafront in Funchal, a wide palm-fringed avenue borders the harbour, normally the perfect place for a holiday stroll, but there are no sightseers tonight... just gangs of weary salvage workers, and a constant rumble of heavy machinery.
Round the clock, the efforts to clear tonnes of mud and rock carried down from the mountains has been unceasing.