Flash floods kill 102-year-old woman and leave 90 having to be rescued as they sweep through Spanish town
A 102-year-old woman has died and 90 people have had to be rescued following flash floods in a Spanish town.
The woman was found lifeless inside her home in Madrigueras, 120 miles north-west of Alicante yesterday evening.
Floodwater inside the property is said to have reached a height of more than 3ft.
Astonishing footage and photos from the police showed the carnage caused by the freak weather, with cars piled up on top of each other in the centre of the town as they were battered by a wall of water.
Spain issued its highest possible weather warning yesterday and told people to stay indoors as storms threatened popular holiday hotspots on the country’s east coast.
Residents looked on helplessly from upper-floor balconies as streets turned into rivers and cars were carried away in the floodwater.
One man was filmed trying to take refuge behind his vehicle as it was caught in a violent deluge caused by the torrential rain.
Civil Guard officers in Albacete, part of the province Madrigueras, said: ‘The intense rainfall has caused flooding on urban and interurban roads. The large volume of water has inundated streets and swept away vehicles.’
Homes have been swamped and cars swept away after 140 litres of rain lashed the Spanish town of Madrigueras in just three hours
Cars piled up on each other in the centre of the town as they were battered by a rush of water
As the waters rose, one man trid to take refuge behind his vehicle as it was caught in a violent deluge caused by the torrential rain
The police force added in a warning to locals and visitors: ‘Avoid unnecessary travel and do not cross flooded areas.’
The scenes were said to be reminiscent of the floods in Valencia in 2024 caused by the DANA – a Spanish acronym for weather’s high-altitude isolated depression – that claimed the lives of 232 people including British pensioners Don and Terry Turner.
Some 90 people were rescued from Spain’s most recent floods – most of them after becoming trapped in their homes.
The flash floods began at around 6pm yesterday. Regional government officials had sounded weather warnings but the scale of the flooding took locals by surprise.
Heavy rain and storms also affected parts of the Costa Blanca last night where orange and yellow alerts were in place.
The city of Tortosa, in Catalonia, is facing the aftermath of yesterday’s floods with disruption and debris seen in dramatic pictures.
A washing machine could be seen floating along a street fully submerged in water, while another image showed restaurant staff cleaning debris from a building.
Spain issued its highest weather warning yesterday and told people to stay indoors as storms threatened parts of the country’s east coast (Pictured: Flooding in Santa Barbara)
Floods submerges the streets, low-lying residential properties and road infrastructure in Tortosa in the Tarragona province, Catalonia, yesterday
A powerful storm system battered the Baix Ebre and Montsia districts in southern Catalonia on Thursday and Friday, with more than 200 millimeters of rain across several municipalities
Forecasters expect the unstable weather to continue into next week, with eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands most at risk.
The warning level has been raised to red in the worst-hit areas, the highest alert issued by Spain’s weather agency.
Officials warned the designation is reserved for situations where there is a risk of severe impacts to both people and property.
Residents were urged to stay indoors, avoid all unnecessary travel and steer clear of flood-prone areas, underpasses and normally dry riverbeds, which can quickly fill with water during intense downpours.
Authorities also advised people to keep a close watch on vulnerable relatives and neighbours, including elderly people, children and those with disabilities.
