Spain Faces Devastating Flooding: 95 Dead, Rescue Efforts Continue Amid Growing Fears

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Spain is grappling with its deadliest flood disaster in decades as intense rainfall has claimed at least 95 lives, with many more people still missing. The catastrophic floods, which began on Tuesday, have ravaged the eastern province of Valencia and beyond, submerging communities and leaving a path of destruction.

 

 

The torrential rains triggered flash floods that overwhelmed the region, destroying bridges and buildings and forcing many people to cling to trees or seek refuge on rooftops. As President Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning, the severe weather continued, further complicating rescue efforts. Expressing deep sorrow for the victims, Sánchez addressed the nation on Wednesday, saying, “The whole of Spain weeps with you… we won’t abandon you.”

 

 

Officials fear the death toll may rise as the number of missing persons remains high. Of the 95 deaths confirmed so far, 92 occurred in Valencia, two in the neighboring region of Castilla-La Mancha, and one in Málaga. The latter involved a 71-year-old British man who passed away in the hospital after being rescued. The disaster has become Spain’s deadliest flooding event since 1973 when catastrophic floods claimed at least 150 lives in the country’s southeast.

Flash floods struck eastern parts of Spain, sweeping cars through streets and damaging homes.

The scale of the flooding currently unfolding in Valencia is unfathomable.pic.twitter.com/zRroalyalL

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 30, 2024

 

In the town of Chiva near Valencia, residents witnessed an entire year’s worth of rain fall in just eight hours on Tuesday, according to Spain's national weather agency, Aemet. Across the region, emergency response teams, supported by Spanish army units, have been conducting rescue operations, airlifting people from rooftops and balconies. Survivors have described terrifying scenes as streets and highways transformed into torrents, sweeping everything in their path. Guillermo Serrano Pérez, a 21-year-old from Paiporta near Valencia, said that he and his parents narrowly escaped by abandoning their car on the highway. “The water came down… like a tsunami,” Pérez recalled, explaining how they climbed onto a bridge to stay above the floodwaters.

 

For Patricia Rodriguez, the chaos unfolded in a nearby motorway where drivers banded together to escape on a raised central divider. “Thank goodness no one slipped because if anyone had fallen, the current would have dragged them away,” Rodriguez told *El País*. Another resident recounted the destruction in his town of La Torre, where friends had lost their homes, and cars floated along streets.

Deadly flash floods, 'the worst people have seen in 30 years,' hit eastern Spain, piling cars in streets and tearing down walls. Hundreds of soldiers are deployed as neighboring countries offer help, Sky’s @SiobhanRobbins reports from Algemesi.https://t.co/nmLcNW9omV pic.twitter.com/V6swGxFjm5

— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 30, 2024

 

In Horno de Alcedo, just outside Valencia, Mayor Consuelo Tarazon described how floodwaters rose by over a meter in a matter of minutes. “The currents were so quick – and we called the emergency services who started rescuing some people who had water up to their necks,” Tarazon shared with *BBC Newshour*. Spain has deployed over 1,000 troops to assist with ongoing rescue efforts, although many areas remain cut off due to flooded roads, power outages, and disrupted communication lines.

 

The European Union responded quickly to Spain's crisis, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen activating the Copernicus satellite system to help coordinate rescue teams. Neighboring European countries have also offered additional support.

 

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles called the floods "an unprecedented phenomenon" earlier on Wednesday, acknowledging that while various factors contribute to flooding, the intensifying effects of climate change make extreme rainfall more likely. As Spain faces this tragic loss and destruction, the country is bracing for a challenging recovery effort in the weeks and months ahead.

 

Based on a report by Sky News 2024-10-31