Spain floods latest: Death toll at 158 and looting breaks out as more rain expected

Rescue teams continue to search for those missing in the devastating flash floods in eastern Spain in what could become Europe’s worst storm-related disaster in over five decades.

The death toll from the extreme weather climbed to 158 on Thursday after a year’s worth of rain fell in eight hours in parts of the Valencia region two days before.

“There’s a total of 158 people to which must be added dozens and dozens of missing,” Angel Victor Torres, minister in charge of cooperation with Spain’s regions, told a press conference.

Moments after rushing waters burst through the door to her home, Mari Carmen Pérez received a text message alert from regional Spanish authorities warning her of the possibility of flash floods.

By the time Pérez’s phone buzzed, the water has already gushed into her kitchen, living room and bathroom, forcing her and her family to flee upstairs.

“They didn’t have any idea of what was going on,” Pérez, a 56-year-old cleaner, said Thursday by phone from Barrio de la Torre in Valencia. “Everything is ruined. The people here, we have never seen anything like this.”

Dubbed “the flood of the century”, rainfall on Tuesday saw wide swathes of southern and eastern Spain completely destroyed by torrents of muddy water.

The region is known to be particularly vulnerable to torrential autumn downpours, caused by a weather phenomenon known as the “cold drop” or DANA.

However, the destructive weather system is believed to be worsening in the wake of climate change, accumulating in this week’s flash flooding being the worst the region has seen in three decades.

From weather phenomena to flood defences: here is what may have accelerated Spain’s deadly flash floods:

As of 31 October the UK’s Foreign Office (FCDO) travel advice said that journeys may be affected due to severe weather and flooding affecting many areas of southern and eastern Spain, particularly in the Valencia region and Castilla La Mancha.

The FCDO advises checking the latest weather warnings from Spain’s meteorological office before travelling and following the instructions from local authorities.

In terms of the Foreign Office’s general advice about travelling to a destination that has been impacted by flooding, they warn that the flood waters can cause devastation and loss of life. After a flood, they also warn that there is an increased risk of water-borne diseases and transport infrastructure can be severely impacted.

The European Meteorological Services advises to only travel if a journey is essential to the southern and northern coast of Castellón, as well as the northern interior of Castellón.

“Extreme or catastrophic damages to people and properties may occur, especially to those vulnerable or in exposed areas,” they wrote.

Weather warnings are in force across swathes of Spain as further storms approach on the heels of devastating flooding which has claimed at least 158 lives – making it the country’s worst natural disaster in living memory.

Prime minister Pedro Sanchez has warned that the devastation caused by flash flooding is “not finished” as he declared Valencia a “disaster zone” on Thursday. Urging residents to remain in their homes, he said: “Right now the most important thing is to safeguard as many lives as possible.”

Cities such as Valencia and Malaga were inundated this week after nearly a year’s worth of rain – close to half a metre – fell in just eight hours in some areas, leaving residents “trapped like rats” in homes and cars, as described by one desperate local mayor recalling the chaos.

Spanish police have arrested 39 people for looting shops in the wake of flash flooding.

Thieves took advantage of the chaos sparked by the deadly flooding, with Spain’s national police sharing shocking images of a smashed jewellery store window alongside a large amount of goods taken by looters.

The death toll in eastern Spain has risen again, as emergency workers continue their desperate search for survivors.

At least 158 people have been killed by the flash flooding – a sharp increase in the 95 people confirmed dead this morning.

155 of those deaths were confirmed in the hardest-hit region of Valencia.

A woman is still searching for her lost relative amid the destroyed houses and flooded streets of Valencia.

As the waters recede, Marta Rodríguez Múria and her family hold onto hope that her cousin David can be rescued alive. The 32-year-old told The Independent: “The last we heard, he was driving to work.

“His car was found abandoned between Buñol and Chiva, but he’s vanished.”

Just moments before the storm struck, her cousin reached out to her aunt, calling for help as he was caught in the storm’s fury. They haven’t heard anything since.

She added: “We don’t know if he’s safe or if the water swept him away. My aunt is inconsolable. We’re all heartbroken, trapped in this nightmare.”

In Torrente, where she lives, people have been cut off from the outside world. Roads are destroyed, trains are canceled, and supermarkets are filled with panic buyers.

She added: “I’m left without food or water, and I can’t even pay for supplies because all the systems are down.

“We’re just waiting for a glimmer of news, something that tells us he’s safe. At this point, we just want to hear something—good or bad.”

Marta claimed people were not warned about the severe weather until it was “too late.”

She said: “I feel powerless. There should have been better warnings. People were sent to work as if there was no danger coming. The material damage is one thing, but many lives could have been spared.”

The official death toll has risen dramatically to 140, Spain’s state-run news agency EFE has said.

The new figure is a sharp rise from the previous number of 95, reported this morning.