‘Worst’ flash floods in Spain leave dozens dead and turn streets into rivers – National

At least 63 people have been killed in eastern Spain after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted railway lines and highways. This was the worst natural disaster to hit the European country in recent history.

Emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed a death toll of 62 people on Wednesday. The central government office for the Castilla La Mancha region added that an 88-year-old woman was found dead in the city of Cuenca.

Rain showers caused flooding across much of southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, stretching from Malaga to Valencia. Floods of mud-colored water sent vehicles tumbling through the streets at high speed, while pieces of wood containing household items fluttered into the water. Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and rubber boats to reach drivers trapped on the roofs of cars.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said dozens of towns were flooded.

“For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain,” Sánchez said in a televised address. “Our priority is to help you. We are deploying all the resources necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy.”

Authorities reported several people missing late Tuesday, but the next morning came the shocking announcement of dozens of deaths.

“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE. He said several people are still missing in his city.

“We were trapped like rats. Cars and dumpsters flooded the streets. The water rose to three meters,” he said.

More than 1,000 soldiers from the Spanish emergency response units were deployed in the devastated areas. Rescue services also rushed east from other parts of Spain. Spain’s central government has set up a crisis committee to help coordinate rescue efforts.

An elderly couple was rescued from the top floor of their home by a military unit using a bulldozer, with three soldiers accompanying them in the huge shovel.

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Television reports showed videos taken by panicked residents documenting water flooding the ground floors of apartments, streams bursting their banks and bridges collapsing.

Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years. Nothing compared to the devastation of the past two days, reminiscent of the 2021 floods in Germany and Belgium that killed 230 people.

The death toll is likely to rise as other regions are yet to report casualties and search efforts continue in difficult-to-access areas.

In the village of Letur in the neighboring region of Castilla La Mancha, mayor Sergio Marín Sánchez said six people were missing.

Spain is still recovering from a severe drought and continues to record record high temperatures in recent years. Scientists say increased episodes of extreme weather are likely linked to climate change.

The storms produced a freak hailstorm that punched holes in car windows and greenhouses, as well as a rarely seen tornado.

Transport was also affected. A high-speed train with almost 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities said no one was injured. The high-speed train between the city of Valencia and Madrid was disrupted, as were several commuter lines.

Valencian regional president Carlos Mazón called on people to stay at home as road travel is already difficult due to fallen trees and destroyed vehicles. Authorities warned that the danger has not yet passed with more rain on the way.

As the water fell, thick layers of muddy streets formed.

“The neighborhood is destroyed, all the cars are on top of each other, it is literally destroyed,” Christian Viena, a cafe owner in the Valencian village of Barrio de la Torre, said by telephone. “Everything is a total wreck, everything is ready to be thrown away. The mud is almost 30 centimeters deep.”

Outside Vienna’s bar, people ventured out to see what they could salvage. Cars were piled up and the streets were filled with clumps of water-soaked branches.

Located south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast, Valencia is a tourist destination known for its beaches, citrus groves and home of the Spanish paella rice dish.

Like some other parts of Spain, Valencia has gorges and small riverbeds that are completely dry for much of the year, but quickly fill with water when it rains. Many of them pass through populated areas.

By late Wednesday morning, the rain had subsided in Valencia. But more storms were forecast through Thursday, according to Spain’s national weather service.

Associated Press journalist Teresa Medrano in Madrid contributed to this report.

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