Severe Flooding in Spain Results in At Least 72 Fatalities Amid Widespread Evacuations

Catastrophic flooding across southeastern Spain has left at least 72 people dead, with authorities evacuating thousands as torrents of water inundated urban and rural areas. The combination of intense rainfall and storm surges turned streets into rivers, submerged highways, and halted transportation networks in Murcia, Valencia, and Almeria. This extreme weather event, classified locally as a *gota fría* or “cold drop,” brought unprecedented rainfall and gale-force winds, marking one of the nation’s most severe weather-related disasters in recent history.

The flooding has wreaked havoc on infrastructure, especially in urban areas where vehicles were swept away, and public transport was paralyzed. At least 3,500 people were evacuated from affected regions, with some finding themselves stranded in tunnels or swept off highways as roads became impassable. As Valencia alone reported around 689,000 students affected by school closures, the storm’s impact on daily life has been widespread. The Valencia region recorded nearly 250 mm of rain in just 12 hours, with surrounding areas experiencing similarly historic levels, leading to rapid flooding of municipal streets and low-lying residential areas.

Emergency responders, including hundreds of soldiers, boats, and helicopters, were quickly mobilized, with military personnel assisting in the mass evacuation efforts and aiding those trapped in precarious conditions. Some citizens took refuge on rooftops awaiting rescue as the floodwaters rose, while emergency services worked tirelessly to clear submerged cars and reroute people to safety. Murcia’s mayor Mario Cervera described the situation as “critical,” with vast areas of his municipality “completely underwater.”

Air travel and rail services faced extensive disruption as two regional airports closed and the railway line between Madrid and Barcelona was suspended. Train services across Murcia were similarly impacted, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. Fatalities were reported in multiple incidents, including cases where individuals were swept away while attempting to navigate the flooded roads. In one such incident in Almeria, a man was found dead after his car was submerged in a tunnel despite a police cordon warning drivers to avoid the area. Authorities also found two siblings deceased after torrential rains overwhelmed their vehicle near Albacete.