Torrential rain in Valencia leaves at least 95 dead, disrupts infrastructure across Spain

At least 95 people have died in one of Spain’s deadliest flood events after torrential rain battered the Valencia region on Wednesday, with dozens still missing, local officials have confirmed.

Severe rainstorms unleashed a year’s worth of precipitation within eight hours, causing flash floods that swept away buildings, submerged roadways, and left scores of residents stranded.

Meteorologists reported that parts of Valencia endured over 400 millimetres (approximately 15 inches) of rainfall, causing the national weather agency, AEMET, to issue a rare red alert, later downgraded to amber as conditions marginally improved on 30 October.

The storm inundated large stretches of farmland, posing a significant threat to Spain’s agricultural sector, especially Valencia’s citrus production. According to the Valencian Institute of Agriculture Investigations, the region produces about 60% of Spain’s citrus crop, making the country a leading global supplier of oranges.

Residents in the hardest-hit areas described harrowing scenes as floodwaters tore through streets, destroying infrastructure and stranding people.

Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles stated that specialised military units would be deployed to assist with rescue efforts in the worst-hit areas.

Speaking with Cadena Ser radio, Robles acknowledged the grim likelihood of rising fatalities, adding that rescue teams had brought in 50 mobile morgues to handle the anticipated surge in recovery operations.

Footage captured by emergency services illustrated the scale of the destruction: collapsed bridges, highways clogged with vehicles piled on top of each other, and homes engulfed in mud and water.

In Valencia, essential services were suspended, including schools and public transportation, while authorities urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel. All train services between Valencia, Madrid, and Barcelona were cancelled as roads and railways lay submerged.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivered a televised address promising rapid reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and expressed solidarity with affected families, saying, “For those who at this moment are still looking for their loved ones, the whole of Spain weeps with you.” Over 1,000 troops have been deployed nationwide to bolster local rescue operations.

The Spanish government continues to monitor the situation, with more heavy rain anticipated as the storm shifts northeast. In Catalonia, the regional weather service issued a red alert for the Barcelona area, where forecasters predicted heavy rains, strong winds, and hail.

Similarly, the city of Jerez in Andalusia was placed on red alert as downpours continue in the south.

The flooding has left over 150,000 residents in Valencia without power, according to i-DE, the electricity provider owned by Iberdrola. Affected regions have also experienced significant agricultural losses, with ASAJA, one of Spain’s largest farming groups, warning of severe crop damage.

The European Commission has extended support, activating the Copernicus satellite system to assist Spanish rescue teams, according to President Ursula von der Leyen, who called the scenes of destruction “devastating.”

European Council President Charles Michel reiterated the EU’s readiness to support Spain in the disaster’s aftermath. Neighbouring Portugal also offered assistance, with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro pledging “all necessary help.”

Officials remain concerned that extreme weather events like these are becoming increasingly common, driven by climate change.

Ernesto Rodriguez Camino, a senior state meteorologist and a member of the Spanish Meteorological Association, explained that warming in the Mediterranean is accelerating water evaporation, resulting in more frequent and severe torrential rains.

“Events of this type, which used to occur many decades apart, are now becoming more frequent and their destructive capacity is greater,” Camino said.

Devastating floods in parts of #Spain after year's worth of rain fell in less than 24 hours. The animation below from #MTGI1 clearly shows large thunderstorms with strong lightning activity, causing exceptional rainfall and flash floods between 00:00 UTC yesterday – 10:00 today. pic.twitter.com/e3SdYAHrmV

— EUMETSAT (@eumetsat) October 30, 2024

This disaster marks Spain’s most severe flood-related event since 1996, when flash floods claimed 87 lives in the Pyrenees mountains. It also ranks among Europe’s worst flood events in recent years, following devastating floods in Germany in 2021 that killed at least 185 people.

The full extent of the damage in Valencia and surrounding areas is still being assessed as rescue operations continue and international support intensifies.