Spain floods latest: Spanish PM warns ‘this hasn’t finished’ as new storm forecast amid frantic search efforts

As rescue workers continue trying to recover the dozens of people still missing, here is what we know on Thursday afternoon:

- At least 95 people have been killed after eastern Spain was hit by flash floods.

- Ministers have warned that the death toll is likely to rise as there are “many missing people”.

- More severe weather warnings have been issued in the region for today.

- A 71-year-old British man is among the dead.

- The rainstorms started on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday which triggered the devastating flooding.

- More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain’s emergency response unit have been deployed to the most devastated areas.

- The main areas affected are the eastern province of Valencia and neighbouring regions.

David Lammy has sent his condolences to Spain on behald of the UK government.

The foreign secretary wrote on X: “The UK government expresses its heartfelt condolences to those affected by the tragic floods across Spain - our thoughts are with those that have lost their lives, their families and all those affected.”

He added that he offered the UK’s full support to his counterpart, José Manuel Albares.

As emergency services continue their desperate search for those still missing in Spain, many are questioning what caused the devastating flash flooding which has killed at least 95 people.

The region is known to see be particularly vulnerable torrential autumn downpours, caused by a weather phenomenon known as the “cold drop” or DANA.

However, the destructive weather system is believed to be worsening in the wake of climate change, accumulating in this week’s flash flooding being the worst the region has seen in three decades.

When cold air blows over warm Mediterranean waters it causes hotter air to rise quickly and form dense, water-laden clouds that can remain over the same area for many hours, raising their destructive potential.

Eastern and Southern Spain are particularly susceptible to the phenomenon due to its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea

Spain’s prime minister has urged residents to stay vigilant as he warned the effects of flash floding are “not finished”

Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also declared Valencia as a disaster zone and raised the official crisis level to level two.

He told people affected by the flooding to stay at home, as many in the region brace themselves for more extreme weather today.

“The most important thing is that I know Spanish people are aware that this phenomenon has not finished,” he said.

“The Spanish weather agency has still raised alerts in Valencia and elsewhere around Spain. And so I urge everybody else to heed those recommendations and to heed the advice of, the law enforcement and protection authorities. All of those who have been affected, please stay at home.”

Emergency services are continuing to frantically search for any survivors in eastern and southern Spain following deadly flash flooding across the region.

Shocking images have emerged of piled up vehicles, tumbled down by muddy water in worst-hit regions of Valencia.

Spain’s transport minister, Oscar Puente, told media that rescue workers will be facing the task of recovering some bodies from these vehicles.

“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” he said.

Spain’s prime minister has announced that Valencia is to be declared a disaster zone following the deadly flash flooding that has devastated the area since Tuesday.

Speaking at the Emergency Services Coordination Centre in Valencia, Pedro Sanchez also said the official crisis level has been raised to level two.

Spanish farmers have been devastated by the flash flooding, with crops wiped out and livestock killed.

Utiel residents Javier Iranzo, 47, and Ana Carmen Fernandez, 48, told Reuters the flooding had completely wrecked their pig farm, with 50 of their animals having drowned.

They estimated hundreds of thousands of euros worth of damages and, despite government pledges of help, said they worried about whether they would receive state aid to help rebuild.

The European Commission is flying its flags half mast today in solidarity with the lives lost in Spain’s flash flooding.

A picture of the EU flags outside the headquarters Brussels was shared on X/Twitter

“The European flags in front of our headquarters in Brussels are at half-mast. Our thoughts are with the victims of the floods in Spain, their families and the rescue teams. The floods in Spain are not only a national tragedy. It’s also a European one.”

Severe weather warnings have been issued by Spain’s state meteorological service Aemet for Thursday.

Calm weather returned on Thursday to the hardest-hit areas around the city of Valencia, Spain’s third-largest, but the Aemet state weather agency issued its highest level of alert for the province of Castellon.

Further north in the Catalonia region, an amber alert was issued for the city of Tarragona.

It warned: “Extreme danger! Do not travel in the area unless absolutely necessary!”