Spain floods: One killed; homes, roads damaged in torrential rains

142 litres of rain per square metre fell on the Spanish town of Madrigueras, which has 4,760 inhabitants, setting off a large rescue operation.

Vehicles stuck in the mud as a result of torrential rains in Spain. Photo: Reuters/FORTA/ Spanish Guardia Civil Handout
2 min read  |  Published: 03 Oct 2026

Heavy flooding hit the Spanish town of Madrigueras, regional authorities said on Saturday, killing a 102-year-old woman.

Authorities in the Castilla-La Mancha region said 142 litres of rain per square metre fell on the town, which has 4,760 inhabitants. The downpour sent cars floating through the streets and set off a large rescue operation, in which firefighters brought 90 people to safety. Firefighters found the woman's body in her house, where the water had risen above 1 metre.

Drone footage released by Spain's Guardia Civil showed mud-covered streets and vehicles stuck in the mud.

Video from FORTA showed wrecked cars covered in rubble, with one pushed up on top of another, and people sweeping mud and carrying furniture out of flooded homes.

José Pablo Sabrido, the government delegate for Castilla-La Mancha, said the damage was "absolutely devastating". He said the church, the barracks and the town hall had flooded, and the water had knocked down doors weighing hundreds of kilos.

One resident said the water swept away everything in its path. The flooding follows the hottest summer on record in Spain, where almost 2,150 people are thought to have died from heat-related causes in August.

To advertise here,contact us