VALENCIA, Spain. Spain is undertaking its most extensive peacetime disaster response, as flash floods, the deadliest in modern Spanish history, have claimed at least 214 lives, with dozens more still unaccounted for. The floods, triggered by torrential rains across the eastern region of Valencia, have left widespread devastation in their wake, according to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
In a televised address, Sanchez announced the deployment of an additional 5,000 army troops to bolster ongoing search and recovery efforts, supplementing the 2,500 soldiers already on the ground. “It is the biggest operation by the Armed Forces in Spain in peacetime,” Sanchez stated. “The government is going to mobilize all the resources necessary as long as they are needed.”
Regional authorities reported Saturday that 211 fatalities occurred in Valencia, with additional casualties in Castilla La Mancha and Andalusia, bringing the total death toll to 214. This disaster is already being counted among Europe’s most catastrophic flood events since 1967, when a storm in Portugal claimed over 500 lives.
In a rare moment of hope amid the devastation, rescuers found a woman alive after being trapped for three days in a flooded parking lot in Montcada, Valencia. News of her survival was met with applause from residents gathered in the area. Martin Perez, Valencia’s chief of civil protection, called it “a remarkable discovery that keeps hope alive.”
The City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia has been transformed into the operation’s command center, coordinating volunteers and resources from across Spain. On Saturday, hundreds of volunteers arrived to help with a large-scale cleanup organized by regional authorities.
Emilia, a 74-year-old shop owner from Valencia’s Picanya suburb, expressed her despair at the overwhelming loss: “We feel abandoned. Many people need help. It’s not just my house; it’s all the houses. We are throwing away furniture, we are throwing away everything.” She added, “When is the help going to come to have fridges and washing machines? Because we can’t even wash our clothes and we can’t even have a shower.”
Maria Jose Gilabert, a 52-year-old nurse from Picanya, echoed this sentiment: “We are devastated because there is not much light to be seen here at the moment. It’s not that help isn’t arriving; they are coming from all over Spain, but it will be a long time before this becomes a habitable area again.”
Meteorologists have issued further weather warnings for the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, and Valencia, predicting that rains could continue through the weekend. Experts note that warming Mediterranean temperatures, which accelerate water evaporation, are a factor in intensifying these rain events. Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather across Europe, highlighting the urgent need for proactive measures.
As Spain grapples with the scale of recovery efforts, authorities are focused on search, rescue, and providing critical support to devastated communities.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
