At least two dead in floods in eastern Spain

During severe storms in parts of Spain, huge amounts of rain fell, especially in the provinces of Valencia and Alicante. In some places the authorities reported more than 600 liters per square meter in 24 hours. That's about double what normally falls in the Alicante region in an entire year, according to Spanish weather service Aemet.

According to authorities, one person died in Sagunto, north of the city of Valencia. In Catalonia, the fire department reported the death of a woman who fell into a stream.

As the Spanish TV station RTVE reported, some people were stuck in flooded buildings and some were waiting on roofs to be rescued. The regional government declared the second highest emergency level. "It is impossible to move, you must stay at home. There are heavy, persistent rains that are causing severe flooding," warned the head of civil protection in Valencia, Juan Carlos Valterrama.

Storms continue to move north

The situation in Oliva is particularly delicate: in the coastal community around 70 kilometers south of the provincial capital Valencia, around 2,000 people were evacuated from seven campsites, according to Mayor Yolanda Pastor. The fire department also rescued people from flooded buildings. During the day the rains are expected to weaken and move north towards Catalonia.

In the Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza and Mallorca, the situation calmed down after heavy rain at the weekend. The storm there was not as severe as feared and no major damage was reported here. The authorities had suspended school lessons in Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera as a precaution.

The hottest summer since records began

Air traffic to and from Mallorca is largely running normally, with occasional delays. The weather there should get better again in the middle of the week.

According to experts, advancing climate change is also leading to more frequent and violent extreme weather events such as heavy rain in Spain. September was the hottest in mainland Spain since records began, according to Spanish meteorological service Aemet. In addition, according to Aemet, Spain experienced its hottest summer on record this year.