At least 51 people have been killed in flash floods sweeping the eastern Spanish region of Valencia following torrential rains on Tuesday that left roads and towns under water, local authorities said on Wednesday.
Dozens of videos shared on social media overnight appeared to show people trapped by the floodwaters, with some climbing into trees to avoid being swept away.
Carlos Mazon, the regional leader of Valencia, told a press conference some people remained isolated in inaccessible locations.
Rescue efforts in Spain flash floods
(Reuters, X)
Frantic residents searched for missing relatives while local rescue services struggled to respond to the urgent demand.
The government in Madrid deployed 1,000 military troops to assist in the rescue efforts after an astounding 491 mm. of rain fell in 8 hours, the most since 1966, according to Spain's RTVE network.
Emergency services urged citizens to refrain from any kind of road travel and to follow further updates from official sources.
Spain's state weather agency AEMET declared a red alert in Valencia, with some areas such as Turis and Utiel recording 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rainfall. Meteorologists warned that the extreme weather occurrences will likely increase amid rising global temperatures.
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