VIDEO | At least 62 people killed in floods in Spain’s Valencia region

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The eastern Spanish region of Valencia, one of Spain’s most important agricultural regions, has been hit by flash floods that left roads and towns under water after heavy rains on Tuesday, killing at least 62 people, local authorities said on Wednesday, the 30th of October, reports Reuters.

Rescuers worked through the night, rescuing several people, and rescue services continued their efforts to reach the worst-hit areas.

“For those who at this moment are still looking for their loved ones, the whole of Spain weeps with you,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised address.

 

“To the villages and cities destroyed by this tragedy, I say the same: Together, we will rebuild your streets, your squares, your bridges,” he said.

 

Carlos Mazon, regional leader of Valencia, told a press conference that some people were still isolated in difficult to reach areas.

“If (emergency services) have not arrived, it is not because of a lack of resources or unpreparedness, but because of access problems,” Mazon said, adding that getting to certain areas is “absolutely impossible”.

Dozens of videos were posted on social media showing people trapped in floods, cars floating and streets submerged in floodwaters.

 

 

A picture after the floods in Alfafar, Valencia.

 

Emergency services in the region urged people to avoid any form of road travel and to follow further information from official sources.

Trains to Madrid and Barcelona were cancelled due to the flooding, and schools and other essential services were closed in the worst affected areas.

A UME military unit specialised in rescue operations was deployed in some areas to assist local rescuers.

The Spanish national meteorological agency AEMET issued a red alert in Valencia, one of the main citrus-growing regions, and 200 mm of rainfall was recorded in some areas, such as Turis and Utiel. The warning was downgraded to yellow on Wednesday as the rain had largely stopped.

The death toll appears to be the highest in Europe from flooding since 2021, when almost 200 people lost their lives, mostly in Germany.

It is the worst flooding disaster in Spain since 1996, when 87 people died and 180 were injured in floods near Buesca in the Pyrenees.

Scientists say that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in the region due to climate change. Meteorologists believe that the warming of the Mediterranean Sea, which increases evaporation, is a major factor in the increase in heavy rainfall.