Sunday, February 21, 2010

Briton dies in Madeira floods

A British woman has died following flash floods and mudslides that hit the holiday island of Madeira, it has emerged.

Emergency rescue crews and equipment were being flown to the Atlantic island after torrents of muddy water coursed through the streets of the capital Funchal.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said the victim's family had been informed.

"We are not able to release any further details at this stage," she added.

Sources said the dead Briton was a woman in her 50s.

A "small number" of Britons, understood to be less than five, were being treated in hospital as the amount of people feared to have been killed rose to at least 40, with more than 120 injured and an unknown number of others missing.

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