At least 95 people have lost their lives in the eastern Valencia province after torrential rain on Tuesday caused flash flooding that swept away everything in its path.
According to Spain's national weather agency, they're the worst flash floods in the region so far this century, comparable only to those that occurred in 1982 and 1987.
Other parts of Spain, including Málaga, Murcia and Albacete, have been affected as well, but it’s Valencia province which has borne the brunt of this DANA, and especially where the most shocking images of the destructive weather phenomenon have been shared.
In Picanya, 17 km from Valencia city, residents were shocked as the floods tore down a local bridge.
Lo que está pasando en Valencia da mucho miedo.
— José Vico 🔻🇵🇸🇿🇦 (@josevico4) October 29, 2024
Aquí podemos ver el puente de Paiporta (Valencia) destrozado por la fuerza del agua.
Tremendo.
Espero que no pasara nadie por allí.#dana pic.twitter.com/YYDVpqAaaa
Just 8 km away in a care home in the municipality of Massanasa, elderly people in wheelchairs were filmed with brown water up to their knees.
Como ya sucedió en #Madrid las personas mayores son abandonadas a su suerte en la inundada residencia de #Massanasa #Valencia.
— Donostia Bai 🌹 (@Erramun2014) October 30, 2024
Son terribles estas imágenes.#Dana pic.twitter.com/6J2alCDfDH
Another harrowing video was shot by a woman in the Valencian town Paiporta, as she holds onto a tree and asks people on social media to help with her rescue. Her voice breaks as she says “there’s nothing around me, it’s as if I was in the middle of the sea”.
Una mujer atrapada por la DANA en Valencia pide ayuda en redes para ser rescatada.
— Wall Street Wolverine (@wallstwolverine) October 29, 2024
Su nombre es Maite Jurado López y está atrapada en Paiporta cerca del centro residencial SAVIA Paiporta. https://t.co/BQ9NArMPqG
In Utiel, an emergency service worker has been filmed risking his life to get a woman, her dog and two cats out of their flooded house and lifted into a helicopter.
Aquellos que desprecian la vida de un animal deberían ver el rescate de esta mujer en Utiel (Valencia).
— David Calvo (@davidcalvoarq) October 29, 2024
Ni siquiera con el agua hasta el cuello ha dudado un solo segundo en salvar a su perro y a sus gatos. 👏👏
pic.twitter.com/jxwXiyPFvH
In the neighbouring towns of Carlet and Alginet, a tornado wreaked havoc and damaged properties.
🔴Increíbles imágenes del tornado en Valencia. #Dana pic.twitter.com/47etL0Rhex
— I N F I N I T A (@iiehsol) October 29, 2024
As evidenced by the tornado videos and the one below, the floods have been accompanied by very strong winds.
🔴 #DANA en directo
— Meteored | tiempo.com (@MeteoredES) October 29, 2024
El antes y el después. Las lluvias torrenciales con vientos huracanados e incluso tornados; las crecidas de barrancos posteriores con graves inundaciones.
🌪 Alginet, Nos Puchalt.
🌊 Picassent, Dafne. pic.twitter.com/rKH9Kyc4QO
Much of the footage is truly apocalyptic, such as these videos shot in Chiva showing huge amounts of floodwater crashing down the streets, dragging cars and everything else with it.
Catastrophic flooding in the Valencia region, Spain 🇪🇸
— Official Weather UK 🍂 (@Official_WXUK) October 30, 2024
• 491mm of rain fell in Chiva in just 8 hours, including 160mm in just 1 hour.
• More than a year's worth of rain in less than 24 hours.
• At least 51 people have died, this number will rise.pic.twitter.com/hpWhNRGh3n
In such extreme weather, residents have witnessed in desperation how their neighbours have been dragged away by the flash floods.
🚨🇪🇸 BREAKING: PICANYA-PAIPORTA, SPAIN
— Weather monitor (@Weathermonitors) October 29, 2024
Person swept away by floodwaters RESCUED! #dana
Brave bystanders rush to save life
Massive flooding overwhelms area
Community comes together in heroic effort#PICANYA #PAIPORTA #lluvia #flood pic.twitter.com/4vb3x5zaAL
There are also many accounts of people hearing screams from nearby drivers trapped in their cars as the flash floods caught them off guard.
Un camionero queda atrapado por la DANA y graba cómo se le ha inundado el camión en el centro logístico de Ribarroja del Turía. pic.twitter.com/NK4ZTU8Okr
— Wall Street Wolverine (@wallstwolverine) October 29, 2024
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