Search continues for victims in Spain's deadliest floods, with 158 confirmed dead

Emergency teams have been combing through mud-laden regions in Spain after destructive flash floods killed at least 158 people – with 155 in the Valencia region alone. The catastrophe, which hit late Tuesday and early Wednesday, has been regarded as the worst natural disaster Spain has seen in decades.

According to reports on Thursday, scenes that mirror the aftermath of a tsunami have unravelled, with devastated inhabitants left to rebuild their lives amidst their grief for lost loved ones. In Valencia, cars were stacked like dominoes, trees upended, power lines toppled, and personal belongings sunk into the ubiquitous muddy deluge that has smothered streets across scores of localities.

With still an unknown tally of missing individuals, there are fears the death count could rise further. Transport Minister Oscar Puente revealed, on the bleak Thursday morning, the grave reality of the situation by stating, "Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles," this before the fatality figure soared past the previous count of 95.

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The torrential floods converted quaint lanes into perilous channels and spawned raging torrents that ravaged homes and businesses, dragging along with them cars, lives, and anything else caught in their wrath. Infrastructure suffered heavily with bridges destroyed and roads made unrecognisable.

Recounting his experience, local welder Luis Sanchez spoke of how he rescued several individuals who were encased in their vehicles on the submerged V-31 highway south of the city of Valencia.

The road quickly transformed into a floating graveyard littered with hundreds of vehicles. "I saw bodies floating past. I called out, but nothing," said Mr Sanchez.

“The firefighters took the elderly first, when they could get in. I am from nearby so I tried to help and rescue people. People were crying all over, they were trapped.”

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Late on Wednesday, regional authorities reported that around 70 people stranded on rooftops and in cars had been rescued by helicopters, but ground crews still had much work to do. "We are searching house by house," Angel Martinez, one of the 1,000 soldiers aiding the rescue efforts, told Spain’s national radio RNE from Utiel, where at least six people lost their lives.

A journalist witnessed rescuers removing seven body bags from an underground garage in Barrio de la Torre. “Our priority is to find the victims and the missing so we can help end the suffering of their families,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated after meeting with officials and emergency services in Valencia on Thursday, the first of three official days of mourning.

While Spain’s Mediterranean coast is accustomed to autumn storms causing flooding, this was the most severe flash flood in recent memory. Scientists attribute it to climate change, which is also responsible for increasingly high temperatures and droughts in Spain and the warming of the Mediterranean Sea.

According to a rapid but partial analysis by World Weather Attribution, a group of international scientists studying the role of global warming in extreme weather, human-induced climate change has doubled the chances of a storm like the one that hit Valencia this week. Spain has been grappling with an almost two-year drought, which meant that when the downpour occurred, the hardened ground was unable to absorb the rain, resulting in flash floods.

The severe weather event caught regional government officials off guard. Spain's national weather service reported that more rain fell in eight hours in the Valencian town of Chiva than in the previous 20 months.

A man from Catarroja, south of Valencia, broke down as he showed a reporter from national broadcaster RTVE the remains of his home's ground floor. It appeared as if a bomb had exploded inside, destroying furniture and possessions and stripping some walls of paint.

In Paiporta, Mayor Maribel Albalat announced on Thursday that at least 62 people had died in the community of 25,000 adjacent to Valencia city. "(Paiporta) never has floods, we never have this kind of problem," she told RTVE.

"And we found a lot of elderly people in the town centre. There were also a lot of people who came to get their cars out of their garages ... it was a real trap."

The storms wreaked havoc across vast areas of southern and eastern Spain, particularly affecting municipalities near Valencia. Two deaths were reported in the neighbouring Castilla La Mancha region, with another fatality in southern Andalusia.

The severe weather damaged greenhouses and farms throughout southern Spain, a region dubbed Europe's garden due to its produce exports. Valencia experienced an unusual tornado, while a hailstorm in Andalusia caused damage to vehicles.

In Andalusia's Malaga, homes were cut off from water supplies. Alerts were issued by the Spanish weather agency for several counties, including Castellon in Valencia, Tarragona in Catalonia, and Cadiz in the southwest, as heavy rains persisted into Thursday.

"This storm front is still with us," declared the prime minister, urging people to "Stay home and heed the official recommendation and you will help save lives."

In the aftermath, as residents began to recover from the initial shock, frustration mounted over the authorities' handling of the crisis, criticising both the late flood warnings and the disorganised relief efforts. Many survivors found themselves walking through thick mud to access food and water, with most of their cars destroyed and some roads rendered impassable by the storm's aftermath.

Some resorted to using shopping carts to navigate the sodden streets, while others carried their children to avoid the sludge.

On Wednesday, approximately 150,000 residents of Valencia found themselves without electricity, with only half regaining power by Thursday. An unspecified number were left without running water, relying on any bottled water they could find.

The region remained partially cut off, with several roads blocked and train services disrupted, including the high-speed line to Madrid. Officials estimated that it would take two to three weeks to repair the damaged line.

As emergency personnel focused on recovering casualties, survivors were left to source basic supplies and clear up the debris. Volunteers joined locals in moving damaged vehicles, removing rubbish and sweeping away mud.

With local services evidently overwhelmed, Valencia's regional President Carlos Mazon requested military assistance on Thursday to distribute essential goods to the population. In response, the government in Madrid pledged to deploy an additional 500 soldiers, more national police and Civil Guards.

However, the desperate situation and post-apocalyptic atmosphere led some to resort to looting abandoned stores. The National Police reported arresting 39 individuals for looting on Wednesday.

The Civil Guard stated it had detained 11 people for thefts in shopping centres, while its officers were also tasked with preventing car thefts. Some residents claimed they had no choice but to steal supplies, particularly those without running water or access to undamaged stores.

Nieves Vargas defended their actions in a local supermarket, left unattended after being battered by the floodwaters. "We are not thieves. I work as a cleaner at the school for the council. But we have to eat. Look at what I’m picking up: baby food for the baby," she said, stressing the desperate situation.

"What can I give to the child, if we don’t have electricity."