Spain's warning system is under scrutiny as the flood death toll nears 100

The high death toll from floods in Spain raises questions about why one of the world's most developed countries has failed to adequately respond to extreme storms that are likely to intensify as climate change worsens.

Heavy rains that began earlier in the week triggered flooding that killed at least 95 people. It was the deadliest disaster of its kind in the Western European country since 1973.

National weather agency AEMET issued a red alert for the worst-hit region of eastern Valencia on Tuesday morning and conditions worsened throughout the day.

But it wasn't until early in the evening that the regional office responsible for coordinating the emergency services was set up.

And after 8 p.m., a civil protection warning was sent out asking residents of the Mediterranean coastal city of Valencia not to leave their homes.