Spain has recently experienced violent and unprecedented flooding that has impacted several regions in the south and east, including Valencia, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands. Triggered by intense storms, these extreme events transformed streets into torrents of mud and water, causing significant infrastructure damage, paralyzing transport, and cutting off electricity to thousands of homes. The disaster has also claimed dozens of lives, marking one of the worst floods in Spain since 1996 and raising questions about the role of climate change in worsening these extreme weather events.
In Valencia alone, torrential rain exceeding 120 mm in just a few hours caused severe damage, with images showing vehicles floating in streets, flooded public transportation stations, and flight cancellations at Palma de Mallorca Airport. Storms also brought large hailstones to Alicante, while the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued maximum alerts for several areas.
In Andalusia, emergency teams faced extreme difficulty accessing villages cut off by the raging waters. Valencia regional president Carlos Monzón reported that power and phone communications were cut in parts of the region and confirmed the recovery of several bodies, calling the situation “unprecedented.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who returned from India to assess the situation, assured affected areas would not be abandoned, urging citizens to follow safety instructions and avoid unnecessary travel. King Felipe VI also expressed solidarity with affected families, calling the flood toll “shocking,” while Parliament held a minute of silence in memory of the victims.
Military units have also been mobilized for rescue operations, with a thousand soldiers and helicopters deployed to the hardest-hit areas, including Alquería in Valencia and Litur in Albacete province, Castile-La Mancha, where several people have been reported missing.
These disasters follow other extreme weather events in recent years, such as the remnants of Hurricane Leslie, which led to repeated floods and storms across Spain. Scientists have since warned of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change.