Flash floods in Spain kill at least 205, PM pledges comprehensive support

MADRID — Spain remains deeply shaken by the deadly flash floods that have left 205 people confirmed dead and wrecked havoc across the regions of Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia in the east and southeast parts of the country.

With the ground too dry to absorb the intense rainfall, which exceeded 400 litres per square metre in many areas and reached up to 600 litres in some, the torrential overnight downpours on Tuesday led to devastating flash floods, Xinhua news agency reported.

Videos posted on social media have shown torrents up to three meters high sweeping cars down the streets to pile them up as if they were toys. Bridges were swept away, railway tunnels collapsed and fields were swamped as people climbed onto roofs of their homes and cars to seek refuge, but not all survived.

The official death toll, initially 12 on Wednesday morning according to the Center for Coordinated and Integrated Operations, has now soared to 205, with 202 fatalities in the region of Valencia, two in Castilla-La Mancha and one in Andalusia.

The Feria de Valencia exhibition centre has had to be used as a temporary mortuary. With many people still missing, the number of fatalities is expected to climb further.

The Spanish newspaper Eldiario.es reported on Friday that 1,900 people are still missing. Witnesses in the affected areas said many people had gone into underground garages to save their cars, only to be trapped by the extreme deluge. The media outlets are filled with heart-wrenching stories, with loved ones making final calls from vehicles trapped in rising waters.

Moreover, over 130,000 homes lost power during the floods, and by Friday, power company Iberdrola confirmed that 23,000 homes still remained without electricity.

The floods left the Valencia region in eastern Spain almost isolated, with the high-speed rail link between the capital city of Madrid and Valencia closed for up to three weeks following the collapse of two tunnels.

Around 80 km of local rail lines and 100 roads were damaged, prompting the government to allocate 25 million euros ($27 million) on Friday for emergency repairs.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the affected areas on Thursday and pledged comprehensive aid for recovery efforts. The government declared three days of official mourning as sporting events in the Valencia region were all postponed.

Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 military personnel, supported by 400 vehicles and 15 helicopters, have been deployed to assist in rescue and recovery operations. Hundreds of mud-caked Valencia volunteers were seen helping clear streets and homes with shovels and brooms.

However, police also reported that approximately 60 people have been detained for looting in the wake of the floods.

Relief support has poured in from across Spain, with funds being set up by the Red Cross and other agencies to aid rescue and recovery. Additionally, the international community, including the European Union, has offered assistance.

Three days after the deadliest floods in decades, Valencia remains under alert for further downpours, with high warnings issued for Huelva, Castellon, Mallorca, and Catalonia.