Devastating storms that lashed large parts of Spain yesterday was brought into sharp focus this morning as authorities confirmed over 100 people had been killed.
Horrendous flash floods turned streets into rivers and left hundreds trapped in their homes, with many forced to climb trees, scale lampposts and sprint desperately to the upper floors of buildings to escape.
Shocking images showed how entire towns had been plunged underwater while others saw dozens of partially submerged cars piled up at awkward angles after the surge battered them into buildings.
The death toll is expected to rise sharply as emergency services continue their searches for dozens of people said to be still unaccounted for in what is one of the nation’s worst-ever natural disasters.
Terrifying footage also emerged of the moment a helpless woman was swept away by surging flood waters in Valencia as Spain battles one of its worst-ever natural disasters.
The unidentified victim could be heard screaming as the deluge pushed her down a waterlogged street.
Horrified onlookers stood on balconies above stretched out their arms in a futile attempt to come to her rescue in the chilling clip.
For a moment it looked as though she was going to save herself by grabbing onto a lamppost – but the flood waters were too powerful and she was torn away from the pole before being swept away, her fate unknown.
Rescuers recovered 13 bodies overnight in the province of Valencia alone, including four people in Paiporta – two men, a woman and a baby – and five in Torrent near the provincial capital.
