Spain floods: what’s happening in Valencia? Dozens confirmed dead as torrential rain causes havoc

Spain’s east has been hit by severe weather, with deadly consequences.

A cold drop or anticyclone, known in Spanish as a DANA, has hit the Valencia and Albacete regions; over 70 people are reported to have died in the flash floods that have engulfed various villages.

Shocking photos and videos have circulated of people stranded in vehicles and on top of buildings as the water levels that have caused chaos continue to rise.

How many people have died in the Valencia floods?

Heavy rain began last night (Oct 29) and continued until the following morning when the rest of Spain woke up to the shocking scenes taking place in the country.

Entire cars were swallowed by the muddy water where rivers had burst their banks and higher ground quickly became the paramount concern for those in affected areas.

Small villages in the Valencia region were first affected by the rapid heavy rainfall that fell, with hundreds of people quickly being evacuated to safer zones. Shortly after, as the range of rainfall spread, reports came in of the first fatalities and missing people.

At the time of writing, the number of deaths recorded sits at over 70, with others missing.

What is a ‘cold drop’?

A cold drop is a region of extremely cold air situated at an altitude of over 5,000 meters above sea level, characterised by low pressure. The temperature contrast between the cold air at high altitude and the warmer ground below destabilizes the air mass, potentially leading to severe weather conditions that are highly unpredictable.

While cold drops are not uncommon in the region due to the geography of the mediterranean coastline, a situation at the same level as Spain is experiencing now has not been seen this century.

As well as heavy rainfall, tornadoes with speeds of up to 130km/h have been recorded, which caused damage to houses and other structures.

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High-speed transport from Spain’s capital city to Valencia has also been suspended due to safety concerns, while military forces specialised in disaster recovery have been drafted into the regions to aid the local authorities.

Various villages around Spain, north from the currently flooded areas, have also been given weather warnings: Zaragoza, Navarra, Burgos, Lleida, Huesca, Teruel, La Rioja, Soria, Córdoba y Álava.