Latest floods in Spain: Victims 'trapped like rats' and 70 dead as Spanish PM says 'devastating episode' is not yet over

• At least 70 people died after torrential rain caused flash floods in villages and towns in eastern and southern Spain. Of these, 62 died in the Valencia region, while two were killed in Provence Castile-La Mancha.
• More than 1,000 soldiers from Spain's emergency relief unit have been deployed to the most devastated areas to help search for missing people and repair damage caused by the floods.
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has warned that the danger is not yet over, despite rain easing in Valencia late on Wednesday morning and the storm moving north. “For those who are looking for their loved ones, all of Spain feels your pain,” he said in a televised message.
• The project to rebuild cities after the damage will be huge, said Mr. Sanchez, who also hinted that he could enlist the help of EU states. Germany has already offered its support.
• Spain's state weather agency AEMET has issued warnings for regions in the southwest and northeast of the country, predicting heavy rain showers.

Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente has announced that high-speed train (AVE) services between Madrid and Valencia will be suspended for at least the next four days.

In a message on X, he said: “The damage to the high-speed train between Madrid and Valencia is significant.”

“It does not seem possible to resume service within the next four days.

“As soon as we have a final estimate of the time it will take to restore the line, we will publish it.”

The Dana weather system, which is affecting large parts of Spain, has caused flooding in various parts of the city of Jerez this afternoon.

City center streets such as Provera, Larga and Honda were flooded,

The floods have shifted containers and hit vehicles on roads and under flooded bridges.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez earlier gave a speech following the deadly consequences of the Dana floods.

He urged people across the country to exercise caution and reassured people in affected areas, saying: “We will not abandon you.”

In his televised address, Sanchez also committed himself to rebuilding the damaged infrastructure, adding: “For those who are still looking for their loved ones, all of Spain is crying with you.”

The badly damaged cars and the positions in which they were discovered this morning reflect the violence of yesterday's flooding in Valencia.

As residents begin to clean up the damage, these images show the task ahead.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has promised those affected that from today they will receive the country's full support as they seek to rebuild their communities.

Portugal, often considered Spain's closest ally, responded to the tragic events with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro releasing a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

He wrote: “The Portuguese government expresses its deepest regret at the high number of victims of the floods in Spain, shows solidarity with the entire Spanish people and the government and stands ready to provide any necessary assistance.”

The Spanish government has just confirmed that there will be three days of mourning for the victims of the flash floods.

At least 64 people have died in the extreme weather that hit the Valencia and Castile-La Mancha regions on Tuesday.

Ángel Víctor Torres, the minister in charge of territorial policy, has just told reporters that the three days of mourning will begin on Thursday.

As water levels rose, older people were most at risk, and many remained in their homes as they waited for the danger to pass.

We are seeing images today of some of these people now being rescued, including this couple who were stranded in a neighbor's house.

Spanish Civil Protection soldiers have been supporting rescue efforts, with some people still trapped in their homes.

Enaire, the Spanish air traffic authority, has reported that flight operations are being affected by the movement of the recent weather system towards western Andalusia and northeastern Spain.

Air traffic controllers have canceled some flights and restricted some at Barcelona-El Prat airport.

Passengers planning to fly are advised to check with their airline for updates.

Enaire said it was closely following weather forecasts from Aemet, which has issued an orange warning for heavy rainfall in Andalusia and the Valencia region for Wednesday.