Valencia flooding latest: British man among 95 dead in Span floods as dozens still missing

Climate change made the 10 deadliest extreme weather events over the past two decades worse, contributing to the deaths of more than 570,000 people, scientists have said.

Climate scientists said the finding “underscores how dangerous extreme weather events have already become” with just 1.3C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.

It also highlights the urgency of cutting the greenhouse gas emissions driving rising temperatures and more extreme weather, they said, as the world is currently on track for 3C of warming by the end of the century – a level recently described by UN chief Antonio Guterres as “catastrophic”.

As rescue workers continue trying to recover the dozens of people still missing, here is what we know on Thursday morning:

– At least 95 people have been killed after eastern Spain was hit by flash floods.

– Ministers have warned that the death toll is likely to rise as there are “many missing people”.

– A 71-year-old British man is among the dead.

– Forecasters are predicting more heavy rain for the areas affected.

– The rainstorms started on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday which triggered the devastating flooding.

– More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response unit have been deployed to the most devastated areas.

– The main areas affected are the eastern province of Valencia and neighbouring regions.

Half-term holidaymakers have been warned by the Met Office to expect heavy rain in Spain’s east coast tourist destinations this week.

The national meteorological service said that a risk of “significant flash flooding”, “frequent lightning” and “large hail” will continue through to the end of the week following heavy showers and thunderstorms.

The Met Office said: “Torrential rain and thunderstorms could bring flash flooding, landslides and significant disruption to parts of eastern Spain this week.

“A further 250-350mm of rain is possible by the weekend in a few places – the average for the whole of October is closer to 50-100mm!”

Flash floods turned streets into rivers, destroyed homes, and killed at least 95 people in Spain’s worst natural disaster in recent memory.

Torrential rainstorms hit southern and eastern parts of the country, including the Costa del Sol region, where the city of Malaga is located, and Valencia in the east.

Rescuers waded through mud-coloured water while cars and vans appeared stranded. More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units have been deployed to the worst-hit areas.

The town of Chiva, west of Valencia province, recorded 491 mm of rain in just eight hours, almost equalling a year’s worth, according to Spain’s weather service.

Flash floods in Spain turned village streets into rivers, ruined homes, disrupted transportation and killed at least 95 people in the worst natural disaster to hit the country in decades.

Nearly 155,000 homes were without electricity in Valencia, according to the energy minister.“All of Spain weeps with all of you… We won’t abandon you,” prime minister Pedro Sanchez told victims and their families in a televised address.

The disaster could not be considered over and “we will deploy all the necessary resources for as long as necessary so that we can recover from this tragedy,” he added.

A 71-year-old British man has been confirmed as one of the casualties of the flash floods.

President of the Andalusian government, Juanma Morena, said the man had died in hospital hours after being rescued from his home on the outskirts of Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga.

He added that he was suffering from hypothermia and died after suffering several cardiac arrests.

Even for an era of more extreme weather, this autumn has seemingly shifted into yet another gear, especially in a rain-weary Europe where massive and deadly flooding in Spain‘s Valencia region is the latest incarnation.

At least 95 people have been killed in flooding that sent cars piling up like flotsam on the beach, while an ocean away much of the United States bakes through a nearly rain-free October that has created a flash drought.

Scientists trying to explain what’s happening, especially with a spate of deadly European downpours, see two likely connections to human-caused climate change. One is that warmer air holds and then dumps more rain. The other is possible changes in the jet stream — the river of air above land that moves weather systems across the globe — that spawn extreme weather.

Spanish authorities fear the death toll will rise with other regions of Spain yet to report victims and search efforts continuing in hard-to-reach places.

“We are facing a very difficult situation,” minister of territory policies Angel Víctor Torres said.

“The fact that we can’t give a number of the missing persons indicates the magnitude of the tragedy.”

Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years. Nothing, however, compared to the devastation over the last two days, which recalls floods in Germany and Belgium in 2021 in which 230 people were killed.

Rescue personnel and more than 1,100 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response units were deployed to affected areas. Spain’s central government set up a crisis committee to coordinate rescue efforts.

It’s was confirmed on Wednesday by the Spanish government that there will be three days of mourning for the victims of the flash floods.

At least 95 people have died in the extreme weather, which hit the Valencia and Castilla La Mancha regions on Tuesday.

Ángel Víctor Torres, the minister responsible for territorial policy, told reporters that the three days of mourning will begin on Thursday.