Spain’s Valencia region is struggling with problems Deadliest flood disaster in recent yearsIt caused the death of at least 95 people.

In just one day, an entire year’s worth of rainfall flooded the area, submerging homes and vehicles and clogging the streets with mud and debris.

Drone footage published by Spanish police on XIt captures the extent of the devastation by revealing entire villages submerged by the flood.

“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some of the vehicles,” Transport Minister Óscar Puente said, as search teams continued to uncover victims in abandoned cars and homes.

Flash floods hit areas such as Barrio de la Torre in Valencia, where narrow streets became deadly water channels. Houses were flooded, cars were piled on top of each other, and personal belongings were stuck in the mud.

Some areas look like hurricane zonesTrees were uprooted and power lines were downed. In one harrowing incident, a survivor described how floodwaters brought a body to her home, illustrating the scale of the tragedy facing communities across the region.

Major Rescue and Recovery Operations

Ground teams, which deployed more than a thousand soldiers and emergency responders, rescued 110 people as they scoured homes and wrecked vehicles in search of more victims. helicopter crews Rescue work on the roof has been completedand authorities believe everyone has been evacuated.

Ángel Martínez, from Spain’s military emergency unit, described the ongoing search efforts: “We are searching house to house.” The government’s response includes a three-day period of national mourning during which Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez tours the hardest-hit areas.

Climate Change and Future Fears

The flood not only destroyed homes, but also devastated farmland in Spain’s “garden” and destroyed crops along the southern coast.

Heavy rains occurred in Valencia and nearby areas; It’s a trend scientists have linked to climate change. Rising Mediterranean temperatures are contributing to the intensification of autumn storms, while extreme weather conditions are becoming more common in Spain.

Authorities noted that the amount of rainfall in the town of Chiva exceeded the total of the last 20 months in a few hours.

Delayed Alerts Under Review

The scale and intensity of the disaster led to scrutiny of the government’s response.

Although Spain’s national weather service has issued warnings, the Valencian government is facing criticism over the delay in mobile alerts. For example, in L’Alcudia the mayor described how a flood of water covered the center of the town.

“We had no indication that the river would overflow its banks,” Mayor Andreu Salom said. This delay has raised questions about whether faster warnings could have saved lives and reduced the toll of the disaster.

While Valencia is emerging from disaster, its impact on residents, agriculture and infrastructure remains dauntingly high.

This article contains reporting from the Associated Press