'Multiple' deaths in Spain flash flooding with 'many still missing' in horror weather event

Spanish authorities say there are multiple victims after flash floods swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted rail lines and highways.

The country was under a severe weather alert for Storm Dana, which warned of flash flooding and landslides. Images shot by people with smartphones reproduced on Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE showed frighteningly swift waters carrying away cars and rising several feet into the lower level of homes.

The regional president of eastern Valencia, Carlos Mazon, said it was still too early to give an exact figure of the dead, with many people still missing.

Mr Mazon spoke after Spanish national broadcaster RTVE said 13 bodies were recovered in Valencia, citing the Civil Guard. The Civil Guard did not immediately answer calls from The Associated Press.

Rainstorms on Tuesday caused flooding in a wide swath of southern and eastern Spain. AEMET, the country's state weather agency, issued a red alert for the eastern Valencia region with the second-highest level of alert put in place for parts of Andalusia in the south.

A high-speed train with nearly 300 people on board derailed near Malaga, although rail authorities said no-one was hurt. High-speed train service between Valencia city and Madrid was interrupted, as were several commuter lines.

Storms were forecast to continue through Thursday, according to Spain’s national weather service. AEMET had anticipated that Valencia would bear the brunt of the storm, with more than 3.5 inches (90mm) forecast in less than an hour, or 180 mm in less than 12 hours.