Spain entered a period of national mourning on Thursday as the death toll from severe flooding rose to 158, with dozens of people still unaccounted for. The eastern Valencia region bore the brunt of the catastrophe, with torrents of water from a powerful Mediterranean storm sweeping away people, homes, and vehicles.
In Valencia alone, 155 bodies have been recovered, and casualties were also reported in Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.
As rescue teams with drones and troops continued the search, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged people to stay home and allow emergency services to operate. Many rural areas remain inaccessible, further complicating rescue efforts.
The crisis sparked questions about emergency preparedness as some residents in Paiporta, a Valencia suburb, reported receiving flood alerts only after rivers began overflowing.
Scientists noted that global warming has intensified such weather events, with experts calculating that rainfall like this week’s deluge is 12% heavier and twice as likely than in pre-climate change eras.
Government flags are flying at half-mast, and residents across Spain held moments of silence to remember the lives lost in Spain’s deadliest flood in decades.
