Rain chaos in Spain leaves one dead as floods sweep eastern regions

In Albacete, Spain, a 102-year-old woman tragically lost her life due to severe flooding caused by torrential rain. The town of Madrigueras experienced an extraordinary 142 liters of rain per square meter, with water flooding streets, homes, garages, and businesses. Emergency services responded to about 90 rescue calls, but the woman was found dead inside a ground-floor property after floodwaters rose more than a meter inside her house.

Cars were swept away, and dozens of residents were trapped as the water rose rapidly. Floodwaters covered the town in mud, with vehicles piled up and buildings damaged by the force of the flash flood. Emergency teams, including Guardia Civil officers, firefighters, and Civil Protection authorities, worked tirelessly to mitigate the disaster.

By Saturday morning, the town was still visibly affected by the calamity. Meanwhile, the eastern region of Tarragona, known as Terres de l’Ebre, was among the worst-hit areas in Spain. Recordings indicated that more than 225 liters of rain per square meter fell between Thursday evening and Friday morning, with 203.4 liters in Cases d’Alcanar and 174 liters in El Perello.

Authorities issued an ES-Alert, warning around 150,000 people in the Baix Ebre and Montsia areas to stay indoors. The flooding disrupted roads, railway services, and affected hundreds of homes in Tortosa and surrounding areas. In the Valencian Community, over 400,000 pupils were affected by school closures, and several roads remained closed after the red weather warning was lifted.

Despite the devastating impact, Civil Protection authorities maintained their alert for heavy showers and thunderstorms across the eastern half of the country.