At least 63 dead in devastating flash floods in eastern Spain, officials say

• At least 63 people have been killed in eastern Spain after severe flooding turned streets into rivers, swept away cars and disrupted key transport routes.
• Torrential rain led to widespread flooding in regions of Spain stretching from Malaga to Valencia on Tuesday.
• More than 1,000 soldiers and additional rescue teams were deployed to assist with evacuation and recovery efforts.

At least 63 people have died in eastern Spain after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted railway lines and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation 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.

AT LEAST 126 DEAD AND MISSING IN MASSIVE FLOODS AND TERRCALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said this in dozens of cities had been 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 garbage containers flooded the streets. The water rose up to three meters,” he said.

More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain 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.

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 stacked 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 a foot 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 Sea, 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.

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