Flooding in eastern Spain kills at least four and prompts hundreds of rescues

At least four people have died in heavy rain and flooding in eastern Spain. The Valencia and Alicante areas on the Mediterranean coast were among the worst affected.

Two bodies were recovered in the coastal town of Oliva on Monday. One victim was a 79-year-old woman found at her home. The other was a man who died of a heart attack at a campsite. The reports do not describe how his death was linked to the flooding.

A woman also died in Catalonia. DW and France 24 say she fell into a rain-swollen stream. Daily Sabah places the death in Cabrera de Mar. According to France 24, Catalonia's firefighters reported her death on Sunday.

Emergency services carried out more than 400 rescues. Some people were airlifted. Others were brought to safety by boat. According to DW, more than 450 people were rescued and hundreds were forced to flee.

Authorities told residents of several municipalities to stay indoors. Most of these restrictions were lifted on Monday. According to Daily Sabah, eight municipalities remained under the order by the afternoon, and several places were still cut off.

The Balearic Islands, including Mallorca and Ibiza, were also affected. Schools there were closed. According to DW, some flights were cancelled or delayed.

According to Daily Sabah, the state weather service AEMET recorded more than 530 mm of rain in Oliva within 24 hours, and just over 620 mm in Pego, in Alicante province. France 24 reported up to 700 litres per square metre in some areas of the Valencia region, without citing a source.

Almost two years earlier, a flood disaster in the Valencia region killed more than 220 people.

What is disputed

DW and France 24 say a man drowned while swimming at a beach in Sagunto. Daily Sabah says a woman died there. The outlets also differ on the stay-at-home orders. France 24 reports about 100 municipalities. Daily Sabah reports 145 municipalities with more than 800,000 residents. DW gives no number.

What each side says

Valencia regional president Juan Francisco Perez Llorca urged caution while damage was assessed. According to France 24, he told reporters: "We are talking about three deaths." Government representative Pilar Bernabe said security forces carried out more than 400 rescues in the Valencia region.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X that military emergency teams were helping, and pledged the government's "full support".

According to Daily Sabah, Oliva mayor Yolanda Pastor told private broadcaster Antena 3 that about 2,000 people were evacuated from seven campsites. "Many people are still trapped in their homes by the floodwaters," she said. An unnamed emergency services spokesperson said everyone in life-threatening situations in Oliva had been brought to safety, Daily Sabah reported.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not say whether anyone is missing or whether the death toll is final.

Analysis

The immediate questions are whether the toll rises and how quickly isolated places are reached. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi include no damage estimates or missing-person figures, so the full scale is not yet clear. Scientists cited by France 24 say climate change is intensifying autumn Mediterranean storms, though the reports do not attribute this specific event to it. The memory of the deadly floods almost two years earlier is likely to shape public scrutiny of warnings and response. According to Daily Sabah, rain was expected to move north into Catalonia, which could extend disruption there.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.