UTIEL, Spain. In a devastating natural disaster that has claimed the lives of at least 95 people, flash floods swept across Spain’s southern and eastern regions, transforming village streets into torrents, ravaging homes, and halting transportation. The unprecedented rainstorms, which began Tuesday and continued into Wednesday, flooded towns from Málaga to Valencia, leaving destruction in their wake.
The eastern Valencia region suffered the brunt of the catastrophe, with regional emergency services confirming 92 fatalities on Wednesday. An additional two deaths were reported in neighboring Castilla La Mancha, while Andalusia reported one. The rising death toll has left many communities grieving and fearful as search and rescue efforts continue.
“This was the worst day of my life,” said Ricardo Gabaldón, mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, recounting the tragedy on RTVE, Spain’s national broadcaster. “Six residents are dead, and many others are still unaccounted for. We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to 3 meters (9.8 feet).”
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed solidarity with affected families in a televised address, saying, “For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain.”
The Spanish government quickly mobilized more than 1,100 soldiers alongside rescue teams to assist in hard-hit areas. Helicopters and boats were deployed to rescue individuals stranded on rooftops and car tops. A crisis committee was set up to coordinate rescue and relief efforts across affected regions.
In Utiel, bakery owner Javier Berenguer narrowly escaped rising floodwaters. “I had to get out of a window as best I could because the water was already coming up to my shoulders,” he told The Associated Press. “It has taken everything. I have to throw everything out of the bakery, the freezers, ovens, everything.” Berenguer, like many other business owners and residents, faces the prospect of starting over with little left to salvage.
In another part of Utiel, María Carmen Martínez watched as a dramatic rescue unfolded. “It was horrible, horrible,” she described. “There was a man there clinging to a fence who was falling and calling people for help. They couldn’t help him until the helicopters came and took him away.”
The small town of Paiporta in Valencia saw one of the most tragic losses, with over 30 confirmed deaths, including six residents from a senior care facility. Distressing images showed elderly residents, some in wheelchairs, surrounded by rising water in the facility.
The Spanish National Weather Service reported a record-breaking deluge, stating that it rained more in eight hours than in the past 20 months combined. The normally dry riverbeds that dot the Valencia region swelled rapidly, overflowing into populated areas. As the floodwaters receded, streets were left unrecognizable, buried under thick layers of mud and debris.
One resident of Barrio de la Torre, Christian Viena, described the destruction outside his bar. “The neighborhood is destroyed, all the cars are on top of each other, it’s literally smashed up. The mud is almost 30 centimeters (11 inches) deep.”
Transport across the region was severely disrupted, with high-speed rail services suspended and numerous flights canceled. A high-speed train derailed near Málaga, though authorities reported no injuries. Bus and rail services faced delays, and as many as 1,500 travelers were stranded overnight at Valencia’s airport.
Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, urged residents to stay indoors as rescue operations were slowed by downed power lines, power outages, and impassable roads. “We are facing a very difficult situation,” said Spain’s minister of territory policies, Ángel Víctor Torres, who noted that the number of missing persons remains unclear.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would deploy the Copernicus geo-monitoring satellite system to assist in tracking the flood’s impact and coordinating response efforts.
Tragically, the search for missing loved ones continues. Leonardo Enrique, whose 40-year-old son, Leonardo Enrique Rivera, went missing while driving a delivery van, shared his heartbreak on RTVE. Enrique said his son sent a message as his van began to flood and was struck by another vehicle near Ribarroja, one of the hardest-hit areas.
The flood disaster in Spain is a reminder of the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, which scientists link to climate change. After years of severe drought and record-high temperatures, Spain’s parched landscape was less able to absorb the overwhelming rainfall, further intensifying the catastrophe.
As the nation confronts the aftermath of one of its deadliest natural disasters, Spain continues its rescue and recovery efforts, with hopes that missing individuals may yet be found safe.
