At least 64 people have lost their lives in Spain’s most devastating flooding in three decades after torrential rains lashed the eastern region of Valencia on Tuesday, leaving entire areas cut off.
Rescuers in dinghies worked through the night, evacuating trapped residents in hard-hit towns like Utiel. Videos showed people clinging to trees to escape the fast-rising waters, while others were carried to safety in bulldozer buckets. Meteorologists reported that Valencia received an entire year’s worth of rain in just eight hours, causing severe damage to the region responsible for nearly two-thirds of Spain’s citrus production.
Carlos Mazon, Valencia’s regional leader, said access to some isolated areas remains “absolutely impossible” despite intense rescue efforts.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez extended condolences, promising to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and adding, “For those still searching for loved ones, all of Spain stands with you.”
The floods have also halted essential services and led to widespread school closures. Emergency services have advised against road travel as military rescue units join the efforts in the most affected areas.
These floods are Spain’s deadliest since 1996, when 87 people perished near the Pyrenees.
Climate experts attribute this extreme event to climate change, with rising Mediterranean temperatures increasing water evaporation and making torrential rains more frequent and intense. “Events like this, which once happened only every few decades, are now recurring with greater destructive force,” explained Ernesto Rodriguez Camino, senior state meteorologist and Spanish Meteorological Association member.
