Catastrophic floods in Spain claim 158 lives Valencia region devastated

Spain is reeling from severe flooding that has claimed 158 lives, with 155 of the fatalities occurring in the eastern Valencia region, which has borne the brunt of the week's relentless downpours.

Early on October 31, 13 bodies were recovered in the La Torre and Castellar districts of Valencia city, according to Mayor María José Catalá, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Additional fatalities were reported in Castile-La Mancha, where two people died, and Andalusia, where one fatality was recorded.

The floods have been triggered by torrential rains that began on October 29, a result of a gota fría, or “cold drop,” a meteorological phenomenon where cold air over the warm Mediterranean waters causes intense rainfall, particularly in the autumn.

Efforts to provide relief are underway, with a particular focus on Valencia. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the affected areas on October 31, expressing the government’s commitment to provide support, solidarity, and resources.

Notably, since the onset of the flooding on October 29, Civil Guard officers have carried out approximately 3,400 rescues in the worst-hit areas. Around 300 people remain isolated due to submerged or damaged roads, and an unspecified number are still unaccounted for.

Five people have also been reported missing in Albacete, a province neighbouring Valencia.

On October 31, torrential rains continued to batter parts of Castellón and Tarragona in northeastern Spain, as well as some areas in Málaga, Andalusia.

These floods are the most devastating Spain has experienced in over thirty years.

By Aghakazim Guliyev