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.