Chethana Janith, Jadetimes Staff
C. Janith is a Jadetimes news reporter covering science and geopolitics.
Rescue operations are ongoing as Spain grapples with its worst flooding crisis in decades. So far, at least 95 people have been confirmed dead, and dozens remain unaccounted for following intense rainfall that devastated the eastern province of Valencia and surrounding areas.
Heavy downpours on Tuesday led to flash floods that destroyed bridges and buildings, forcing many to seek safety on rooftops or cling to trees for survival.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced three days of national mourning. The severe conditions have hindered some of the ongoing rescue efforts.
Authorities warn that the death toll could rise further, with many people still reported missing.
In Valencia alone, at least 92 fatalities have been confirmed, with two additional deaths reported in Castilla-La Mancha to the west and another in Málaga, where a 71-year-old British man died in hospital after being rescued from his home.
This disaster marks the deadliest flooding Spain has experienced since 1973, when severe floods in the southeast claimed at least 150 lives.
During his national address on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for continued vigilance and promised a comprehensive recovery effort. He offered a message of solidarity to victims, stating, “The whole of Spain weeps with you… we won’t abandon you.”
The town of Chiva, near Valencia, was one of the first places hit, experiencing a full year’s worth of rainfall in just eight hours, according to national weather agency Aemet.
By Wednesday morning, the Spanish army and emergency crews were in full operation, rescuing people by winching them to safety from balconies and car rooftops. Survivors in Valencia recounted the terrifying events of Tuesday night, when sudden torrents transformed streets and highways into raging rivers, catching many off guard.
Guillermo Serrano Pérez, 21, from Paiporta near Valencia, described how the water surged down a highway “like a tsunami,” forcing him and his parents to abandon their vehicle and take refuge on a bridge.
Another witness recalled how motorists on the highway, realizing the danger, quickly formed a human chain to climb to safety along a raised central divider. Patricia Rodriguez, 45, told El País newspaper, “Thank goodness no one slipped because if anyone had fallen, the current would have dragged them away.”
One resident of La Torre shared that some friends had lost their homes, recalling how he “saw cars floating in the water” and the tides “breaking through walls” on Tuesday night.
Consuelo Tarazon, the mayor of Horno de Alcedo, a town near Valencia, described how water levels surged over a meter in mere minutes. “The currents were so quick – and we called emergency services who began rescuing people with water up to their necks,” she explained.
There has been widespread criticism in Spain over claims that disaster relief authorities were too slow to issue warnings, leaving many unable to escape roads or seek higher ground in time.
The civil protection agency, which responds to national emergencies, didn’t release an alert until 20:15 local time on Tuesday, but by then, towns like Chiva had already been underwater for at least two hours.
Valencia's regional government has faced backlash for disbanding the Valencia Emergency Unit, a disaster response team established by the previous administration to handle crises like flooding and wildfires.
On Wednesday, Spain deployed over 1,000 troops for rescue operations, but many emergency teams remain cut off from affected areas due to flooded roads and downed communication and power lines.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU had activated its Copernicus satellite system to assist in coordinating Spanish rescue efforts. Several European countries have also offered reinforcements.
Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles described the flooding as an “unprecedented phenomenon.” While the rain eased in the central-eastern regions on Wednesday, weather officials warned that heavy rainfall was moving northeast toward Catalonia. Weather alerts have also been issued in other regions, advising residents to prepare for possible flooding and take shelter.
Although multiple factors contribute to flooding, climate change has increased the likelihood of extreme rainfall. Scientists say that a weather event known as “gota fría,” which occurs when cold air interacts with the warmer Mediterranean waters in autumn and winter, was the main driver of the recent intense downpours.
Experts have emphasized that rising global temperatures are exacerbating these natural events. Dr. Friederike Otto from Imperial College London explained that with every fraction of a degree increase in global warming, the atmosphere retains more moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall. “There is no doubt that these explosive downpours were intensified by climate change,” she noted.
The planet has already warmed by about 1.1°C since the industrial age began, and temperatures are expected to continue rising unless significant action is taken to reduce emissions worldwide.
