Photos: Spain devastated by historic floods as more than 200 people reported dead

Kate Murphy
·Reporter
·2-min read
Members of the fire brigade, part of a search and rescue unit, carry out work as piled-up cars and debris block a tunnel.
Members of the fire brigade, part of a search and rescue unit, search as cars and debris block a tunnel on the border of the Benetusser and Alfafar municipalities of Valencia, Spain, on Friday. (David Ramos/Getty Images)

At least 205 people were reported dead after historic flash floods rocked Spain this week as a result of torrential rainfall, according to local emergency authorities. Officials expect that number to keep rising as emergency services still haven’t been able to reach a few areas because piled-up cars and flood debris have blocked roads.

Another 500 troops, adding to the 1,200 already on-site, have been deployed by the Spanish government to help survivors and search for people still missing.

A year’s worth of rain fell over the span of eight hours on Tuesday night, causing rivers to burst their banks. It’s Spain’s worst flood-related disaster in modern history, and Europe’s deadliest since the 1970s, when 209 people died in Romania due to catastrophic floods.

The floods tossed vehicles, caused bridges to collapse and covered towns in the Valencia region with thick, dense mud.

Below are photos from the aftermath of the flooding.

A woman walks past several piled-up cars in muddy water.
A woman walks by piled-up cars after floods in Massanassa, just outside of Valencia, on Friday. (Alberto Saiz/AP)
Two dozen cars are piled in the street with other debris.
Cars are piled in the street with other debris after flash floods hit the region of Valencia. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
A boy uses a broom to help clear mud from the street.
A boy helps to clear mud from the street after floods in Massanassa on Friday. (Alberto Saiz/AP)
A man sweeps near half a dozen piled-up cars and a lot of debris.
A man sweeps near piled-up cars in Massanassa on Friday. (Alberto Saiz/AP)
A woman rests on a low muddy wall as residents and volunteers clean up an area affected by floods.
A woman rests as residents and volunteers clean up an area affected by floods in Paiporta, near Valencia, on Friday. (Alberto Saiz/AP)
A man carries out household appliances from a flooded building.
A man carries out household appliances from a building in Massanassa on Friday. (Alberto Saiz/AP)
People use buckets to remove mud from the street.
People remove mud from the street on Friday in the town of Massanassa. (Jose Jordan/AFP via Getty Images)
People in a truck hand out water and other supplies to citizens in the street.
Water and other supplies are shared in the street on Friday after flooding devastated the town of Paiporta in eastern Spain. (Manaure Quintero/AFP)
A woman looks out from a doorway. The mud outside is several inches high.
A woman at the entrance to her house on Friday in Paiporta. (Jose Jordan/AFP via Getty Images)
Volunteers load a vehicle with supplies to be distributed to areas affected by the floods.
Volunteers load a vehicle with supplies to be distributed to areas affected by the flooding in Valencia on Friday. (Eva Manez/Reuters)
A woman walks along a muddy street.
A woman walks along a muddy street on Friday, following the devastating effects of flooding on the town of Paiporta. (Manaure Quintero/AFP)

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