Authorities in Valencia announced on Wednesday that at least 51 individuals have lost their lives in flash floods that struck southeastern Spain.
The torrential rains on Tuesday resulted in severe flooding that swept away vehicles, transformed village streets into rivers, and disrupted rail services and highways across extensive areas of southern and eastern Spain.
Red alert for Valencia
Spain’s national weather agency, Aemet, issued a red alert for Valencia, noting that certain regions, including Turis and Utiel, recorded rainfall amounts reaching 200mm.
Social media videos shared overnight depicted individuals trapped by floodwaters, with some resorting to climbing trees to escape being swept away.
Rescue teams, including police and emergency services, utilized helicopters to evacuate residents from their homes and vehicles. Carlos Mazon, the regional president of Valencia, indicated that some individuals remained stranded in locations that were difficult to access.
Spain sets in emergency response units
In response to the crisis, over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were dispatched to the affected regions.
The government has sent the UME, a military unit trained for rescue operations, to Valencia to support local emergency services.
On Wednesday, all school classes and sports events were canceled, and parks were closed to the public.
According to the Spanish airport operator Aena, flights at Valencia airport were redirected to other cities, resulting in the cancellation of at least 10 flights scheduled to depart or arrive there.
The national rail infrastructure operator, ADIF, announced the suspension of all rail services in the Valencia region until conditions improve to ensure passenger safety.
Storms expected to persist in Spain
The regional emergency services reported on X that the initial assessment conducted by various security and emergency agencies indicated a provisional death toll of 51, with efforts underway to identify the victims.
Spain has faced similar autumn storms in recent years and is still recovering from a significant drought experienced earlier this year. Experts suggest that the increase in extreme weather events may be associated with climate change.
According to Spain’s national weather service, storms are expected to persist through Thursday.
In La Alcudia, a woman was seen carrying folding chairs coated in mud following the flooding caused by the heavy rains in the Valencia region.
