Spain’s Deadly Flooding Killed 159. These Photos Show the Aftermath.

By Michael Robinson Chávez / The Washington Post

15:26 JST, November 1, 2024

PAIPORTA, Spain – Every street is covered with thick, sticky mud. This town was hit especially hard by the unprecedented flooding this week in eastern Spain. Of 159 reported fatalities, at least 62 occurred here, Mayor Maribel Albalat said Thursday.

Paiporta itself didn’t get much storm precipitation, which made it all the more startling when the creek that bisects the town overflowed its banks, with a force so strong that it brought down a bridge. The creek is fed by the Chiva watershed, an area to the west that received a year’s worth of rain in just hours.

“We had the water coming into our house from both sides and up through the ground, the drain,” said Paiporta resident Francisco Sans Antonio. “It broke the [bedroom] wall down. We had to run up this ladder to get to the roof. Some of us were able to get to the neighbor’s house upstairs. It tossed the cars down the street like toys. It all happened very fast.”

On Thursday, residents tried to clear away the mud and debris with mops, brooms, a damaged painting – whatever they had on hand. Streets remained blocked by piles of cars. The power was out. The Spanish government has promised to rush aid to affected communities. But if officials intended to help with water or food distribution, they hadn’t yet arrived in Paiporta. That compounded the frustration that flood warnings had come too late.

Meanwhile, people throughout the Valencia region were still searching for missing relatives, friends and neighbors.