Dozens dead in flash floods in Valencia, Spain, officials say

LONDON -- On nan streets of Alfafar connected Wednesday, cars and caravans were strewn for illustration toys successful nan muddy aftermath of nan floodwater that had rushed done nan Spanish town.

Emergency crews descended connected Wednesday connected that municipality and others surrounding Valencia, wading done washed-out neighborhoods, searching homes and looking for missing group pursuing devastating flooding, according to emergency officials.

The location emergency services of Valencia estimated that 62 group were dormant successful nan aftermath of nan flooding that took complete nan southeast of Spain aft Tuesday's storms. Another female died successful Cuenca, officials said, adding that much were thought to beryllium missing.

More than 1,000 troops had been deployed to nan state to thief pinch nan emergency response, nan Military Emergencies Unit, a branch of nan Spanish military, said connected societal media connected Wednesday.

Residents cleanable nan thoroughfare adjacent to cars piled up aft being swept distant by floods successful Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.

Alberto Saiz/AP

The flash floods were caused by dense rain, which by Wednesday greeting had begun "easing off," according to nan country's meteorological agency. Three regions, including Andalucia and Valencia, were nether Red Alerts connected Wednesday.

"[B]ut location is still an orangish informing successful inland Castellón until 2:00 p.m.," nan agency said. "Caution successful nan northeast of nan peninsula and occidental Andalusia: very dense showers are possible. Stay informed!"

For some, nan flood h2o arrived quickly and almost without warning. Some 200 group had been rescued from their cars aft being trapped by rising water, Valencia officials said.

Kewin Jacek Ryfa Stelmach told ABC News he was retired to meal pinch his woman connected Tuesday successful Alfafar erstwhile they noticed nan h2o opening to rise. He said he sewage up to move his car to a spot adjacent nan entranceway of nan restaurant.

A flooded slum area is pictured successful Picuana, adjacent Valencia, eastbound Spain, connected October 30, 2024.

Jose Jordan/AFP via Getty Images

"I saw nan h2o was already entering nan restaurant, truthful my woman and I ran to nan car,” he said. “We started to thrust not knowing which guidance to take.”

As they drove, they became boxed successful by different vehicles that had been stopped by nan flooding, he said.

“For a infinitesimal I thought I was going to get trapped, since location were galore cars and nary 1 was moving,” he said. “We managed to transverse a passageway that was still dry. I managed to prevention myself and prevention nan car. I saw a batch of group who couldn't move forwards successful their cars, others were surgery down, and others abandoned them.”

A man walks done flooded streets successful Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.

Alberto Saiz/AP

In that town's shopping district, immoderate group had been trapped successful an IKEA shop arsenic nan surrounding area flooded, according to videos verified by ABC News. Some 650 group were still waiting for thief wrong nan shop connected Wednesday, officials told ABC News.

And Ryfa Stelmach's bother, Oskar, told ABC News his car became trapped successful rising waters successful nan town, forcing him to fly pinch his partner connected foot.

"The h2o reached our waists," he said. "We took a woman having an worry onslaught retired of her car and headed to Sedavi Bridge."

They waited until nan floodwaters receded astatine 5 a.m. earlier stepping toward Valencia, he said.