Flash Floods Kill at Least 95 in Spain, Dozens Still Missing
Spain is reeling from the aftermath of devastating flash floods that have claimed the lives of at least 95 people, with dozens more still missing, CNN reports.
The worst-hit region is Valencia, where 92 people perished, according to Angel Victor Torres, Spain’s Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory. Two additional deaths were reported in Castile-La-Mancha and one in Andalusia.
The torrential downpours, which struck southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, dumped up to 12 inches of rain in just a few hours. This marked the heaviest rainfall in Valencia in 28 years, according to the state weather agency AEMET.
Emergency services are working tirelessly to locate dozens of people reported missing in Valencia, Malaga, Castile-La-Mancha, and other affected regions.
The deluge overwhelmed infrastructure, turning highways into impassable rivers and displacing vehicles. The situation was so dire that Emiliano García-Page, president of Castile-La-Mancha’s regional government, likened the rainfall to a dam bursting.
“It’s not a rain pour, it was like a dam burst,” García-Page told Spain’s national broadcaster TVE. “People were calling [emergency numbers] crying, asking for help and it was almost impossible to reach them.”
The human-caused climate crisis is exacerbating the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, according to scientists. As global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel pollution, intense rainfall events are becoming heavier and more common. Warmer oceans fuel stronger storms, and a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to torrential downpours.
AEMET has issued rainfall warnings for portions of eastern and southern Spain through Wednesday, with heavy rain expected to continue through the end of the week.
