Several bodies were found by rescue workers in Spain's flood-hit eastern region of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, the head of the regional government, said Wednesday.
At least 51 people have so far been reported dead in several storms which hit the country's southern and eastern regions, according to the regional emergency services.
"Dead bodies have been found, but out of respect for the families, we are not going to provide any further data," Mazon said.
Officials said on Tuesday that at least seven people were missing — a truck driver in the Valencia region and six people in the town of Letur in the eastern province of Albacete.
Torrential rains lashed several parts of southeastern Spain, causing flash floods that swept roads and towns on Tuesday.
Authorities prompted residents to take shelter at home and issued red alerts in the eastern Valencia region, with some areas such as Turis and Utiel recording 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rainfall.
Emergency rescues underway
Dozens of videos circulating on social media showed people stuck in floodwaters, with many clinging to trees to avoid being swept away.
The flash floods swept cars off roads, disrupted rail service in large swathes of eastern Spain, and interrupted flight operations. The storms also left parts of Valencia without power.
SPAIN — Spain is facing severe flooding after days of torrential rain, primarily impacting eastern and southern regions, including Valencia, Malaga, and the Costa del Sol. Authorities have described the weather as “historic,” with intense rainfall causing rivers to overflow,… pic.twitter.com/4flDHpYHxz
"Yesterday was the worst day of my life," Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of Utiel, a town in Valencia, told national broadcaster RTVE.
He said several people were still missing in his town. "We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to three meters," he said.
A high-speed train with nearly 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities confirmed no passengers were hurt.
Spain's national rail operator said it had suspended all rail services in the Valencia region "until the situation returns to normal for the safety of passengers."
Schools and sporting events were shut on Wednesday, and parks remained closed.
Over 1,000 emergency response troops were deployed to the affected areas.
Police and rescue workers airlifted people facing the threat of drowning. Authorities also deployed an emergency rescue brigade of Spain's army to expedite the rescue efforts.
