Following torrential rains that left parts of the eastern Valencia region inaccessible, local authorities stated on Wednesday that at least 70 people had been killed in the deadliest floods to strike Spain in thirty years.
Several people were taken to safety in the town of Utiel by rescuers using dinghies as they scoured the floodwaters throughout the night, according to video.
A year’s worth of rain fell in eight hours in some parts of Valencia, according to meteorologists, hammering fields in an area that produces nearly two-thirds of Spain’s citrus fruit, one of the world’s leading growers.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised to rebuild infrastructure that had been destroyed and said in a televised address.
He said “For those who at this moment are still looking for their loved ones, the whole of Spain weeps with you.”
Some parts of Valencia such as the towns of Turis, Chiva or Bunol recorded more than 400 mm (15 inches) of rainfall, leading the state weather agency AEMET to declare a red alert on Tuesday.
The death toll appeared to be the worst in Europe from flooding since 2021 when at least 185 people died in Germany.
It is the deadliest flood-related disaster in Spain since 1996, when 87 people died near a town in the Pyrenees mountains.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X that Europe was ready to help.
Spain is the world’s largest exporter of fresh and dried oranges, according to trade data provider the Observatory of Economic Complexity, and Valencia accounts for about 60% of the country’s citrus production, according to Valencian Institute of Agriculture Investigations.
Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in Europe due to climate change.
Meteorologists think the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.
