At least 72 people died in floods in Spain

OVIEDO, Spain

At least 72 people have died in devastating flooding in eastern Spain, Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE reported on Wednesday afternoon.

At least 70 people died in the Valencia region and two in Castile-La Mancha. In Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit towns, the mayor spoke of “dozens of deaths” due to the storm.

Authorities still have not provided an estimate of the number of those missing.

The latest death toll came after an excruciating night of devastating floods caused by the worst storm in a century, comparable to two other storms in the 1980s, according to Spain’s meteorological office.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged people to remain vigilant as storms continued to ravage the Iberian Peninsula, noting that weather conditions were “still causing damage” and that the emergency was not yet over.

On Wednesday afternoon, the government of Catalonia activated a red alert in parts of the province of Barcelona. The Spanish meteorological institution also activated a red alert for areas in Cadiz.

Calling for unity and solidarity, Sanchez warned residents in affected areas, including Valencia, Andalusia and Extremadura, to avoid traveling near valleys and river banks and follow emergency advice.

He promised full support and assured that all state resources and, if necessary, assistance from the EU would be available.

The German government also offered support to Madrid, while EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her condolences, activated satellite support and mobilized EU Civil Protection resources if necessary.

“What we are seeing in Spain is devastating. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the rescue teams,” von der Leyen said on X.

Speaking to reporters in the Canary Islands, King Felipe of Spain touched on the flood disaster and expressed concern about the widespread destruction and ongoing difficulties.

He noted that access to some areas was still difficult and the full extent of damage and possible losses was still unclear.

He expressed relief that all resources were available to authorities and emergency services, emphasizing the importance of allowing them to continue their work in a coordinated manner.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Spanish government announced that it would declare the affected area a “zone of disaster.”

A year’s worth of rain falls in just a few hours

The storm began on Tuesday and caused a year’s worth of precipitation to fall in a matter of hours, causing rivers to quickly flood and even spawn tornadoes.

Roads and towns began to flood, prompting authorities to cut rail services around Valencia, cancel flights and eventually ask residents to stay indoors until Tuesday night.

But by the time the government sent out emergency alerts asking people to stay in their homes or move to higher ground, most of the damage had already been done.

Hundreds of people were trapped on the roofs of houses, vehicles, shopping malls or industrial areas as rivers rushed through towns, roads and neighbourhoods; Some were holding on to trees.

Citizens who were desperate turned to social media to ask for help after buildings were flooded and local emergency lines collapsed due to intense calls.

Rescue efforts continued in Valencia until Wednesday afternoon. The Spanish Ministry of Defense deployed approximately 1,000 members of the armed forces to assist in the effort.

“We were unable to reach the victims when they needed it most,” Jose Miguel Basset, fire chief in the state of Valencia, told Spanish broadcaster RTVE on Wednesday morning. “And we still don’t have access to all the places that need saving.”

The Valencian government has opened a special hotline to report missing persons.

Residents are still asked to avoid highway travel and most schools in the autonomous region remain closed.

Meanwhile, much of northeastern and southwestern Spain has been placed on weather warnings for heavy rains as the storm system continues to move across the Iberian Peninsula.

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