Dozens of tourists missing after boat sinks off Egyptian coast, officials say

(LONDON) — On the streets of Alfafar on Wednesday, cars and caravans were strewn like toys in the muddy aftermath of the floodwater that had rushed through the Spanish town.

Emergency crews descended on Wednesday on that town and others surrounding Valencia, wading through washed-out neighborhoods, searching homes and looking for missing people following devastating flooding, according to emergency officials.

More than 1,000 troops had been deployed to the province to help with the emergency response, the Military Emergencies Unit, a branch of the Spanish military, said on social media on Wednesday.

The flash floods were caused by heavy rain, which by Wednesday morning had begun “easing off,” according to the country’s meteorological agency

“[B]ut there is still an orange warning in inland Castellón until 2:00 p.m.,” the agency said. “Caution in the northeast of the peninsula and western Andalusia: very heavy showers are possible. Stay informed!”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) —  On Thursday, as a National Geographic expedition was exploring the waters around the Solomon Islands, its members spotted something that looked like a shipwreck underwater. Intrigued, they sent a diver down to investigate.

The diver came back to the surface with extraordinary news.

The object was not a shipwreck but a massive coral — soon confirmed as the biggest coral in the world. The gigantic coral, which is visible from space and believed to be about 300 years old, stores an invaluable historical record of ocean conditions from past centuries.

“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly 1 billion little polyps, pulsing with life and color,” said Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas, the expedition that made the serendipitous discovery.

The coral is three times bigger than the previous record holder, which is known as “Big Momma” and located in American Samoa. While “Big Momma” is as tall as a giraffe, the new coral is the size of a blue whale.

The Solomon Islands, a cluster of hundreds of islands in the South Pacific and fittingly bordered by the Coral Sea, hosts the second highest coral diversity on the planet, boasting more than 490 known species.

“What many people don’t realize is that corals, though appearing as simple rocks, are actually living creatures that build these incredible habitats,” said Ronnie Posala, Fisheries officer at the Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

He added that corals are critical defenses against the effects of climate change, saying that they “act as the first line of defense for coastal communities, buffering against powerful waves and storms.”

Corals and coral reefs are endangered due to global warming, which results in coral bleaching. According to UNESCO, the coral reefs in all 29 reef-containing World Heritage sites would cease to exist by the end of this century if human-created processes continue to emit the current level of greenhouse gasses.

“Despite its remote location, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats,” said Sala.

But the newly discovered reef also brings optimism, according to Eric Brown, a coral scientist on the National Geographic expedition.

“While the nearby shallow reefs were degraded due to warmer seas,” said Brown, “witnessing this large healthy coral oasis in slightly deeper waters is a beacon of hope.”

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(NEW YORK) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believes the war with Russia is “closer to an end” than many believe and called on allies to strengthen Ukraine’s army.

“The plan of victory is strengthening of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said during a sit-down interview with ABC News’ Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts. “That’s why we’re asking our friends, our allies, to strengthen us. It’s very important.”

Watch “Good Morning America” Tuesday at 7 a.m. ET to see more of Robin Roberts’ exclusive interview with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska.

“I think that we are closer to the peace than we think,” he continued. “We are closer to the end of the war. We just have to be very strong, very strong.”

Zelenskyy spoke with Roberts as he visited New York Monday for the United Nations General Assembly this week as part of a trip to the U.S. where he has promised to present what he calls his “Victory Plan” to President Joe Biden as well as other key American political leaders.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly appealed to the United States and United Kingdom to drop their restrictions on the long-range missiles they have provided to Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has warned that the use of Western weapons to strike Russian targets would be seen as a serious escalation in the war and a direct challenge by NATO nations.

Zelenskyy’s request comes amid heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine, as well as weeks into Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. Ukraine said it seized hundreds of square miles and dozens of villages inside the Kursk region in the early days of its surprise offensive.

Zelenskyy told Roberts that Putin is “afraid” of the Kursk operation.

“It’s true. He’s afraid very much,” he said. “Why? Because his people saw that he can’t defend — that he can’t defend all his territory.”

The Ukrainian leader said that only from a “strong position” can Ukraine “push Putin to stop the war.”

Zelenskyy was joined by his wife, first lady Olena Zelenska, for the interview. Later this week, Zelenskyy is expected to travel to Washington to meet with Biden as well as presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

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