BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — At least 51 people have died in Spain’s eastern region of Valencia after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted rail lines and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation in recent memory. Emergency services in the eastern region of Valencia confirmed the death toll on Wednesday. Rainstorms on Tuesday caused flooding in a wide swath of southern and eastern Spain.
Floods of mud-colored water tumbled vehicles down streets at frightening speeds. Pieces of wood swirled with household articles. Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and cars.
Authorities reported several missing people late Tuesday, but the following morning brought the shocking announcement of dozens found dead. Over 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to the devastated areas. “Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE.
He said several people were still missing in his town. “We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets.
The water was rising to three meters,” he said. Spain has experienced in recent years, but nothing compared to the devastation over the last two days. The death toll could easily rise with other regions yet to report victims and search efforts continuing in areas with difficult access.
In the village of Let.