The death toll from devastating flooding in Spain has climbed to 95, rescuers and officials have said, making it the country's deadliest such disaster in decades.
The body coordinating emergency services in the eastern Valencia region released a new toll of 92 deaths in a statement.
Two deaths in Castilla-La Mancha and another fatality in Andalusia had been announced by the provinces' leaders.
Rescuers using dinghies worked in the dark to scour the floodwaters, taking several people to safety, television pictures from the town of Utiel showed, and emergency services were still working to reach the worst-hit areas.
"For those who at this moment are still looking for their loved ones, the whole of Spain weeps with you," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in a televised address, vowing to "rebuild your streets, your squares, your bridges".
Carlos Mazon, the regional leader of Valencia, said some people remained isolated in inaccessible locations.
"If (emergency services) have not arrived, it's not due to alack of means or predisposition, but a problem of access," Mr Mazon told a press conference, adding that reaching certain areas was "absolutely impossible".
Dozens of videos shared on social media overnight appeared to show people trapped by the floodwaters, with some climbing into trees to avoid being swept away. Footage showed rescue workers carrying several women in a bulldozer's bucket.
Trains to the cities of Madrid and Barcelona were cancelled due to the flooding, and schools and other essential services were suspended in the worst-hit areas, officials said.
Emergency services in the region urged citizens to avoid all road travel and to follow further official advice, and a military unit specialised in rescue operations was deployed in some places to help local emergency workers.
Some parts of the region such as the towns of Turís, Chivaor Bunol recorded more than 15.75 inches of rainfall - equivalent to a year of normal rainfall - leading the state weather agency AEMET to declare a red alert yesterday.
As rain eased there, the alert was lowered to amber, but with the storm moving in a north easterly direction, the regional weather service in Catalonia issued a red alert for the area around Barcelona, warning of high winds and hail.
Deadliest Spanish floods since 1996
The death toll appeared to be the worst in Europe from flooding since 2021 when at least 185 people died in Germany.
It is the deadliest flood-related disaster in Spain since 1996, when 87 people died near a town in the Pyrenees mountains.
Spain's King Felipe said the country's emergency services were doing everything possible to help and expressed his condolences "for the loss of so many lives".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media that Europe was ready to help.
"What we're seeing in Spain is devastating," she said on X.
Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in Europe due to climate change.
Meteorologists think the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.
"Events of this type, which used to occur many decades apart, are now becoming more frequent and their destructive capacity is greater," said Ernesto Rodriguez Camino, senior state meteorologist and a member of the Spanish Meteorological Association.
The Spanish parliament held a minute's silence in honour of the victims.
Taoiseach Simon Harris expressed the "deepest sympathies and solidarity" to the people of Spain and Prime Minister Sánchez.
In a post on X, Mr Harris described the floods as "horrific", adding that "Ireland will help in any way we can, including through EU structures".
Scientists say extreme weather events in the region are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Meteorologists think the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
