Videos on social media show the devastation caused by record flooding that hit Valencia, Spain, on October 29. BBCAt least 95 people lost their lives due to the extreme weather event. Reuters While reporting that this was the deadliest flood in the country in more than 30 years, meteorologists announced that a year's worth of rainfall fell on Valencia in eight hours on Tuesday.
“This is a river running through,” Denis Hlavaty told the outlet. He sat on a high ledge inside a gas station, waiting to be rescued from the flood. “The gates were removed and I spent the night there, surrounded by water 2 meters (6.5 feet) deep.”
I came back to Canada to visit my family. However, my home in Valencia, Spain is currently in great danger of flooding. More than 62 people have died so far. This is so scary. Some videos people sent me privately via WhatsApp. pic.twitter.com/AFeG1yj6ql
— Duane Storey (@DuaneStorey) October 30, 2024
The flood caused destruction across the city, piling cars onto the streets to destroy bridges and buildings. Most of the agricultural land in Valencia, where approximately two-thirds of citrus fruits in Spain are grown, was destroyed by floods. Incredible video shows a tidal wave hurtling through homes in a residential area. Another photo taken on a busy highway shows water flowing through traffic, submerging cars and terrified passengers getting on their bonnets.
🚨🇪🇸 DESTRUCTIVE: Devastating flood in Valencia, Spain
20 inches (491 mm) of rainfall in Chiva in just 8 hours
Has a year's worth of rain fallen in less than 24 hours?
The death toll is expected to rise to at least 72 pic.twitter.com/cgMHfWD8hQ
— Julie Jolie (@juliejolie_) October 30, 2024
Heartbreaking images coming from Valencia today 💔 pic.twitter.com/4mpJ69Fq64
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) October 30, 2024
More than 1,000 soldiers from the country's emergency response team were sent to areas in Valencia to rescue trapped citizens. They shared a video showing the rescue of people trapped on flooded streets and rooftops.
Emergency Helicopters Batallón Medios #BHELEME del @EjercitoTierra He was included in Busqued's work and rescued with three people 🚁 Cougar and friends 🚁 EC-135 #JuntosSomosMásFuertes💪 #CALF pic.twitter.com/0XWOHZ7ttk
— UME (@UMEgob) October 30, 2024
In one particularly harrowing clip, nursing home residents, many in wheelchairs, can be seen sitting in waist-deep water in the flooded recreation room, waiting to be evacuated.
HAARP WEATHER CHANGE: SPAIN
An unprecedented event took place in Valencia, where part of the city was left in ruins due to an unprecedented hurricane that destroyed buildings, houses and vehicles, causing panic and floods in the region.😢 pic.twitter.com/c0PHI9lVKi— Lepa ⚜️ (@lepanigeria) October 30, 2024
On Wednesday morning, regional authorities confirmed 73 deaths. By the afternoon this number had risen to 95. It was the deadliest flood in Spain since the disaster in the Pyrenees in 1996, when at least 80 people died when a campsite was flooded.
The scale of the flooding currently occurring in Valencia, Spain is incomprehensible. This is footage from Chiva, where a jaw-dropping 343mm of rain was recorded just 4 hours ago today, between 16:30 and 20:30.
Video credit: Nalabcer pic.twitter.com/WdCgUifavQ
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) 29 October 2024
BREAKING NEWS: Terrible flood disaster in Spain. At least 51 people have died in the Valencia region and the death toll is expected to rise. 🇪🇸
Our hearts go out to the victims and their families during this tragic time.#SpainFlood pic.twitter.com/8Mf0qNFKNF
— Shubham Singh (@Shubhamsingh038) October 30, 2024