At least 51 dead in catastrophic Valencia floods

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Catastrophic flooding in Spain’s Valencia region has left 51 people dead, according to provisional data reported by the Interior Ministry’s Center for Integrated Operational Coordination.

The latest death toll comes after an excruciating night of devastating floods, caused by the worst storm of the century, which is comparable only to two others in the 1980s, according to Spain’s meteorology agency.

The storm began on Tuesday, dropping a year’s worth of rain in hours, causing rivers to quickly burst their banks and even spawning tornadoes.

Roads and towns began to flood, prompting authorities to cut off rail service around Valencia, cancel flights, and eventually ask residents to stay inside by Tuesday night.

However, by the time the government sent emergency alerts asking people to stay indoors or seek high ground, much of the damage had already been done.

As rivers rushed through towns, roads, and neighborhoods, hundreds of people were trapped on the roofs of homes, vehicles, malls, or industrial areas; some were clinging to trees.

Desperate residents turned to social media to ask for rescue after local emergency lines collapsed due to a combination of flooded buildings and the sheer volume of calls.

Spanish daily El Pais reported that hundreds of people were still awaiting rescue on Wednesday morning.

“We couldn’t get to the victims when they most needed it,” Jose Miguel Basset, head of firefighters in the Valencia province, told Spanish broadcaster RTVE. “And we still don’t have access to all the places that need rescuing.”

The Valencia government has opened a specific phone line to report missing persons.

Residents are still urged to avoid any highway travel, and most schools in the autonomous region remain closed.

Meanwhile, the storm system continues to move across the Iberian Peninsula, with much of northeastern and southwestern Spain on weather alerts for heavy rains.