At least 95 people dead after torrential rain and flash floods in Spain

Heavy rain on Tuesday triggered severe flooding from Malaga to Valencia, sending muddy waters crashing through streets, sweeping cars and debris along with them. Police and rescue crews used helicopters to airlift stranded residents, while rubber dinghies reached drivers trapped atop their vehicles.

Residents clean the street next to cars piled up after being swept away by floods in Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units have been deployed, with additional rescue services en route from other regions. The central government has established a crisis committee to coordinate the response.

“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel in Valencia, told RTVE. He said there were still people unaccounted for in his town. “We were trapped like rats. Cars and bins floated down the streets. The water rose to three metres,” he recounted.

Spanish TV channels ran videos shot by residents, capturing the destruction as waters poured through ground floors, riverbanks broke, and bridges collapsed. While Spain has seen similar autumn storms in recent years, the damage in the past days is unprecedented, with many comparing it to the 2021 floods in Germany and Belgium that killed at least 230 people.

People walk through flooded streets in Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

The death toll is expected to rise as search efforts continue, particularly in inaccessible areas. Spain’s central government has established a crisis committee to coordinate rescue operations.

In a televised statement on Wednesday morning, Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called for unity, solidarity and vigilance. “For those searching for their loved ones, all of Spain shares your pain. Our priority is to assist you. We are mobilising every resource to recover from this tragedy.”

The country declared three days of national mourning, and on Wednesday, congress observed a minute’s silence to honor the deceased.

Spain, which has experienced severe droughts and record-high temperatures, is seeing a rise in extreme weather events, which scientists link to climate change. These storms also brought unusual weather, including a hailstorm that smashed car windows and greenhouses, as well as a rare tornado.

A man rests on a bench as floods block his access in Valencia, Spain Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Valencia, south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast, is known for its beaches, citrus orchards, and as the birthplace of paella. Many of the region’s normally dry riverbeds and ravines quickly flood during heavy rains, often passing through populated areas.

The rains had ceased in Valencia by late Wednesday morning, but Spain’s national weather service has forecast further storms through Thursday.

(With Inputs from Associated Press)

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