The death toll from severe flooding in Spain has climbed to at least 72, authorities said on Wednesday, after storms left large parts of the country under water.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez promised swift assistance to those affected by the disaster, offering “all available means.”
“We will not abandon you,” Sánchez said, adding: “All of Spain is crying with you.”
At least 70 people were killed in the particularly hard-hit eastern region of Valencia alone, the regional government confirmed.
Two more bodies were recovered in the neighbouring region of Castilla-La Mancha and dozens of people are still missing.
The meteorological service AEMET said that the situation in Spain will not completely ease until Thursday.
Challenging rescue efforts
Rescue workers struggled to reach the disaster-stricken areas due to flooded or blocked roads.
In Valencia, much of the relief work is therefore being conducted by helicopter, José Miguel Basset of the Valencia fire brigade told the Europa Press news agency.
Numerous people were trapped in houses, offices or shopping centres and issued emergency calls on social media. Many also called media outlets because they could not contact friends and relatives.
“I am looking for my 40-year-old son Enrique, who was on a business trip in his van yesterday and I have not heard from him since,” a pensioner said on RTVE, close to tears.
‘War-like scenes’
An RTVE journalist, reporting from a flooded street where destroyed vehicles were piled on top of each other, spoke of “war-like scenes.”
“It’s like hell,” said a local resident.
In addition to heavy rainfall, there was also hail and strong gusts of wind, AEMET reported.
“The hailstones were the size of golf balls,” farmer Mercedes González told El País. “It seemed like the end of the world.”
The storms have caused rivers to overflow, flooding streets, homes, and fields, with cars and trees swept away by the floodwaters.
In the south and east of Spain, motorways and rural roads had to be closed in many places. Air and rail transport were also affected, while classes were cancelled at numerous schools and universities.
Due to a landslide, a high-speed train travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed shortly after departure with 291 passengers on board. However, there were reportedly no injuries, Spain’s state-owned railway Renfe said.
Von der Leyen: Deaths from flooding ‘devastating’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent her condolences, describing the loss of life as “devastating.”
“Entire villages are covered in mud,” von der Leyen said, describing “people seeking refuge on trees, and cars swept away by the fury of the waters.”
“Tens of people have lost their lives. Thousands are displaced. Therefore, our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends, but also with the rescue teams,” she said.
Von der Leyen said the European Union was ready to help with coordinating humanitarian aid and was providing support with satellite imaging.
The German government has also offered support, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.
“We are in direct contact with the Spanish government to see if support from Germany is needed for this terrible disaster,” Steffen Hebestreit said.
Weather phenomenon ‘cold drop
The disaster was triggered by a “cold drop,” known in Spanish as “gota fría.” It is a weather phenomenon common in the Spanish Mediterranean region during September and October.
It occurs when the first Atlantic low-pressure streams, carrying cold, humid air, collide with the warm Mediterranean, leading to intense storms.
The meteorological service has described the event as a “historic storm,” reporting up to 490 millimetres of rainfall in some areas within a single day – an amount typically seen over an entire year.
According to officials, it was the most severe “cold drop” experienced in Valencia this century.
The rain front was expected to move north-east on Wednesday. However, a severe weather warning remained in place for large parts of the country.
A man rides his bycicle as he passes by destroyed cars in the La Torre neighborhood. At least 51 people have died in the severe storms in Spain, specifically in the Mediterranean region of Valencia, the Spanish news agency Europa Press reported on 30 October, citing the regional government in Valencia. Rober Solsona/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during the 35th Spanish-Portuguese Summit. Alberto Díaz/EUROPA PRESS/dpa