BARCELONA, Spain — At least 52 people died in Spain’s Valencia region after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers, and disrupted rail lines and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the South European nation in recent memory.
Emergency services in the eastern region confirmed the death toll on Wednesday.
Rainstorms on Tuesday caused flooding in a wide swath of southern and eastern Spain. Floods of mud-colored water tumbled vehicles down streets at frightening speeds. Pieces of wood swirled with household articles. Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and cars.
Authorities reported several missing people on Tuesday night, but the following morning brought the shocking announcement of dozens found dead.
Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to the devastated areas.
“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE. He said several people were still missing in his town.
“We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to 3 meters,” he said.
Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years, but nothing compared to the devastation over the last two days.
The death toll could easily rise, with other regions yet to report victims and search efforts continuing in areas with difficult access. In Letur village, in the neighboring Castilla La Mancha region, Mayor Sergio Marín Sánchez said six people were missing.
A high-speed train with nearly 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities said no one was hurt. High-speed train service between the city of Valencia and the capital Madrid was interrupted, as were several commuter lines.
Valencian Regional President Carlos Mazón urged people to stay at home so as not to complicate rescue efforts, with travel by road already difficult due to fallen trees and wrecked vehicles.
“The neighborhood is destroyed, all the cars are on top of each other, it’s literally smashed up,” Christian Viena, a bar owner in the Valencian village of Barrio de la Torre, said by phone. “Everything is a total wreck. Everything is ready to be thrown away. The mud is almost 30 centimeters deep.”
Spain’s central government set up a crisis committee to help coordinate rescue efforts.
The rain had subsided in Valencia by Wednesday morning. But more storms were forecast through Thursday, Spain’s national weather service said.
Spain is still recovering from a severe drought earlier this year. Scientists say increased episodes of extreme weather are likely linked to climate change.
