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Spain Flood Death Toll Rises to 158; Dozens Missing
Spain is grieving as the death toll from devastating floods reached at least 158 on Thursday. Authorities urged residents in affected regions to stay indoors while rescuers worked to locate survivors in the aftermath of an unusually severe Mediterranean storm that began Tuesday.
The storm unleashed heavy rains and mudslides, particularly impacting the eastern Valencia region, where 155 bodies had been recovered by Thursday afternoon. Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia reported three additional deaths, but government minister Angel Victor Torres warned that "dozens and dozens" remain unaccounted for, raising concerns that the toll may increase.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the public to heed emergency services and prioritize safety, stating, "Right now, the most important thing is to save as many lives as possible." Flags flew at half-mast, and a nationwide moment of silence marked the beginning of three days of mourning for the deadliest floods Spain has experienced in decades.
Residents described harrowing scenes. Eliu Sanchez recounted witnessing a man being swept away while seeking refuge on a car, and others clinging to trees before being overwhelmed by the current.
Emergency services, aided by drones and over 1,200 troops, have been deployed to search mud-covered towns and clear debris. Notable rescues include a one-year-old boy airlifted to safety from a flooded village.
In Paiporta, a suburb of Valencia where many perished, local musician David Romero lamented the devastation: "Neighbourhood after neighbourhood, street after street, there is not a business standing." Hundreds are now in temporary shelters, with transport severely disrupted; it may take three weeks to restore high-speed rail service between Madrid and Valencia.
Criticism has emerged over the adequacy of warning systems, with residents claiming they received alerts too late. Romero noted that warnings only arrived after local rivers had already overflowed. The Valencia region's conservative leadership has shifted blame to the central government, while the interior ministry emphasized that regional authorities manage emergency procedures.
Scientists point to climate change as a factor in the increasing severity of such extreme weather events, noting that this week's rainfall was 12% heavier and twice as likely compared to pre-global warming conditions.