Shocking flash floods turned Spain's streets into rivers and killed 95 people

Devastating flash floods in Spain killed at least 95 people and dozens more are still missing. According to Minister Ángel Víctor Torres, 92 of these victims were in Valencia, a city on Spain's east coast on the Mediterranean.

On Tuesday, up to 30 cm of rain fell within a few hours.

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“It's not a downpour, it was like a dam breaking,” said Emiliano García-Page, regional government president of nearby Castile-La Mancha. “People were calling [emergency numbers] They were crying, asking for help and it was almost impossible to reach them.”

The scene was reminiscent of a dystopian horror film, with inaccessible highways, hover trains and courthouses that served as makeshift morgues. Tons of vehicles piled on top of each other as the raging rainwater toppled them across the streets.

“Unfortunately there are dead people in some vehicles,” said Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente.

According to Spanish state news agency EFE, thousands have been trapped or blocked on the highway due to the terrible conditions. Many residents sought shelter on the roofs of their homes as water flooded their first floors, while others were forced to evacuate to emergency shelters.

“It was excruciating,” one resident told TVE. “We stayed on the roof until 4am. We had no water, we were cold. The helicopter finally arrived… Everything is destroyed, but at least we're here to tell the story [the story].”

Others were separated from their family members and were still waiting to find out if they were alive and safe. According to NBC News, the Spanish government sent over 1,000 soldiers to help with rescue operations. The death toll is likely to continue to rise as authorities make more discoveries.