VALENCIA, Spain – A catastrophic flash flood has claimed dozens of lives in Spain’s Valencia region following torrential and historic rains that left roads and towns underwater, according to authorities.
At least 51 lives have been lost in the devastating floods in Valencia, according to the town’s Emergency Coordination Center. The rise in the death toll marks the worst flooding disaster in Europe since 2021, when nearly 200 people perished, primarily in Germany.
Carlos Mazon, the regional leader of Valencia, said during a news conference Wednesday that some people remained isolated in inaccessible locations.
As a potent storm system spun up the eastern coast of Spain from Monday into Tuesday, strong moisture-laden winds slammed into the mountains west of Valencia, dropping torrential rains for hours across the waterlogged European region.
Spain’s weather agency, AEMET, issued a red alert for Valencia, a crucial citrus-producing region, as torrential rains drenched the area.
The mountain town of Chiva, west of Valencia, was drenched by 19.33 inches of rain in just 8 hours. An incredible 13.55 inches of that fell in a mere four hours, with 6.5 inches pouring down in a single hour.
Water rushed down the mountainsides, quickly overwhelming rivers and towns with raging waters.
Government officials urged residents to seek higher ground and stay on the upper floors if possible. Video from Spain’s civil defense showed some water rescues conducted by helicopter.
Hundreds of cars were trapped in floodwaters on a Spanish highway, according to apuntmedia.es, and several other major highways were closed, impacting travel. Rail services were also suspended. A pedestrian bridge also reportedly collapsed in Picanya.
The severe weather also brought reports of tornadoes and large hail.
Original article source: At least 51 dead after flooding sweeps across parts of Spain during historic rains
