On Tuesday October 29, torrential rains caused sudden flooding in southern Spain. Villages were submerged by torrents of water, swamping streets and sweeping away cars, while firefighters came to the aid of trapped residents. Several roads were impassable

Storms in Spain: torrential rain, roads cut off and people missing

Torrential rains of exceptional intensity hit southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, causing flash flooding and leaving seven people missing. As a result, many roads, including high-speed rail lines, were closed for safety reasons, the authorities said.

The Valencia region, under the influence of a non-tropical atmospheric depression known as the “cold drop” or Dana, was particularly hard hit by the bad weather. According to local media such as El Mundo, the A7 freeway linking Valencia to Alicante was submerged, and line 1 of the Valencian metro had to suspend service. The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has also placed the entire Valencia region on red alert, forecasting further risk of flooding in the coming hours.

Disruptions across the peninsula

In addition to Valencia, Andalusia was also severely affected. Several of the region’s rivers burst their banks, and a high-speed train carrying 276 passengers derailed as a result of the bad weather. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, confirmed the regional government. Municipalities such as Álora, in the province of Malaga, were particularly hard hit by flooding, which damaged many homes and local infrastructures.

In El Ejido, in the province of Almería, a hailstorm caused extensive damage, hitting agricultural greenhouses, sports facilities and road infrastructure. The Balearic Islands, notably Mallorca, also experienced impressive flooding earlier in the day.

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, expressed his concern on Platform X, calling on the population to follow safety recommendations and expressing his support for those affected.

Effects felt as far away as France

The bad weather was not confined to Spain’s borders. The Perpignan region of France recorded an unprecedented amount of rain, with more than 130 liters per square meter in 24 hours, a record since 2011.