In Spain, deadly floods in Valencia killed at least 51 people

At least 52 people have died in eastern Spain in flash flooding that swept away cars, turned rural streets into rivers and damaged railways and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation in recent years.

Emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed the death of 51 people on Wednesday.

The central government office of the Castilla-La Mancha region added that the body of an 88-year-old woman was found in the city of Cuenca.

Tuesday’s storms caused flooding across a large area of ​​southern and eastern Spain, stretching from Malaga to Valencia.

Floods of mud-colored water threw vehicles onto the streets at high speeds, and pieces of wood swirled in the water with household items.

Police and emergency services used helicopters to pull people from their homes and rubber boats to reach drivers trapped on car roofs.

Authorities reported several people missing late Tuesday evening, but the next morning came the shocking news that dozens of bodies had been found.

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

“We were trapped like rats. There were cars and garbage containers on the streets. The water level rose to three meters,” he added.

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

One elderly couple was rescued from the upper floor of their house by a military unit using a bulldozer, accompanied by three soldiers on a huge shovel.

Television reports showed videos shot by panicked residents documenting ground floor apartments flooded, streams overflowing their banks and at least one bridge collapsing.

Similar autumn storms have occurred in Spain in recent years. But nothing compared to the devastation that has occurred over the past two days, which is reminiscent of the 2021 floods in Germany and Belgium that killed 230 people.

The death toll is likely to rise as other regions have not yet reported casualties and searches continue in difficult-to-access areas.

Mayor Sergio Marín Sánchez said six people were missing in the village of Letur in the neighboring Castilla-La Mancha region.

Spain is still recovering from a severe drought and has continued to experience record high temperatures in recent years. Scientists say the increased occurrence of extreme weather is likely linked to climate change.

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

Transport also had an impact.

A high-speed train with almost 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although railway authorities say no one was injured.

The high-speed rail link between Valencia and Madrid has been interrupted, as have several suburban lines.

Valencia regional president Carlos Mazón urged people to stay at home so as not to complicate rescue operations, as travel on roads is already difficult due to fallen trees and wrecked vehicles.

When the water receded, thick layers of mud covered the streets.

“The area is destroyed, all the cars are lying on top of each other, it’s literally smashed,” Christian Viena, a bar owner in the Valencian village of Barrio de la Torre, said by phone. “Everything is a total wreck, everything needs to be thrown away. The mud is almost a foot deep.”

Outside Viena’s bar, people came out to see what could be saved. Cars were piled high and the streets were filled with clumps of wet branches.

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

The rain in Valencia stopped late Wednesday morning. But more storms were forecast through Thursday, according to Spain’s national weather service.