4 dead as severe floods hit eastern Spain, thousands evacuated

At least four people have died and around 2,000 have been evacuated as torrential rains triggered severe flooding across eastern Spain, authorities and local media reported Monday. The storm, known as Adam, has battered parts of Valencia, Alicante and Catalonia, leaving residents stranded on rooftops, flooding roads and disrupting rail services. Three deaths were reported in the Valencia region. A 79-year-old woman with reduced mobility was found dead in her home in Oliva on Monday by members of Spain's Military Emergency Unit. A 64-year-old man staying at a campsite in the same town died after suffering cardiac arrest. The third victim was a woman who entered the sea during the storm in Sagunt on Saturday. In Catalonia, a 35-year-old woman from Malgrat de Mar was swept away by floodwaters Saturday. Her body was found Sunday about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from where she disappeared. The Valencia regional government initially ordered residents in 145 municipalities, home to more than 850,000 people, to remain indoors as flooding intensified Monday morning. However, authorities lifted the restrictions across most of the region Monday afternoon and in all areas by Monday evening. Some areas recorded more than 700 liters of rain per square meter since Sunday, equivalent to 27.8 inches of rainfall. The municipality of Forna reported 718 liters per square meter, or 28.3 inches, in just over 24 hours. Emergency crews used boats to rescue people trapped in flooded homes in Oliva, while helicopters were deployed to reach residents stranded on rooftops and in vehicles in northern Alicante. Juan Carlos Valderrama, Valencia's regional emergency minister, said a powerful coastal storm was worsening the flooding. He said waves reaching 4 meters (13 feet) were preventing swollen rivers from draining normally into the Mediterranean Sea. At least six towns along the coast between Gandia and Oliva were cut off by flooding, according to government representative Pilar Bernabe. In the Alicante town of Pego, Mayor Enrique Moll warned Monday morning that residents were stranded and emergency crews could not reach some of the worst-affected areas. "We have people on the rooftops of houses. We are witnessing horrifying scenes," Moll told Spanish public broadcaster RNE. He said conditions were particularly critical in areas with scattered residential properties, where neither the Military Emergency Unit nor firefighting crews could reach those trapped. More than 100,000 students were affected by school closures, including approximately 81,000 in Valencia province and 22,000 in Alicante. The Interior Ministry reported 24 road closures across six provinces. Rail operator Renfe suspended two commuter train lines in Valencia and offered passengers free ticket changes and cancellations. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain on upper floors of buildings in affected areas. Orange and yellow weather warnings remained in effect across large parts of Spain's Mediterranean coast Monday evening, with fewer areas expected to remain under warnings Tuesday.