The death toll from sudden heavy rains in the southeastern region of Spain has surged to 158.
On the 31st (local time), Spanish rescue authorities announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the number of deaths in the Valencia region had risen to 155 by around 4 p.m. Nearby Castilla-La Mancha reported 2 deaths, and Andalusia recorded 1 death.
?ngel V?ctor Torres, Spain's Minister of Territorial Policy, stated, "The total number is 158, and dozens more missing persons need to be added."
This is the largest loss of life in 51 years since the flood in October 1973, which claimed 300 lives.
The death toll is expected to rise further. Rescue authorities are conducting search operations inside cars swept away by the torrents and in flooded buildings. The authorities have not yet accurately determined the scale of missing persons.
Margarita Robles, Minister of Defense, said that in some areas, rescue teams cannot access, so the number of deaths is expected to increase.
Authorities have deployed 51 search dog teams, 15 helicopters, and 18 drones to search for survivors. About 1,200 soldiers have also been dispatched. Additionally, 300 large vehicles have been deployed to rescue citizens trapped inside homes.
Prime Minister Pedro S?nchez, who visited the flood site, said, "Please stay at home and respect the recommendations of emergency services," and pledged to do their best in the search efforts.
The Spanish Meteorological Agency has stated that the emergency situation has passed for now, but rain is forecast again within this week.
On the 29th, heavy rain poured in a short time, mainly in the southeastern region of Spain. According to the Spanish Meteorological Agency, some areas received 150 to 200 liters of rain per square meter in just two hours, and in the Andalusia region, the amount of rain concentrated in one day was four times the total expected for the entire month of October. In the village of Chiva in Valencia, more rain fell in eight hours than in the past 20 months.
The sudden heavy rain is analyzed to be caused by a "high-altitude low-pressure system" commonly occurring in the Iberian Peninsula during this period. Extremely cold air at about 10,000 meters altitude, reaching minus 75 degrees Celsius, met warm and humid air rising from the Mediterranean Sea, forming a strong storm. According to the Associated Press, scientists analyzed that climate change made this flood damage more severe.
The heavy rain in a short time caused rivers and streams to overflow instantly, and the late issuance of evacuation orders has been pointed out as a reason for the increased loss of life.
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