At least three people were killed, and three others remain unaccounted for due to unprecedented rainfall resulting in severe floods in central Spain.
This has led to the closure of roads, subway lines, and high-speed train routes, according to official reports on Monday.
Emergency teams dispatched helicopters to evacuate those who had climbed onto their house roofs seeking sanctuary from the floods in the Toledo vicinity, approximately 50 km southwest of Madrid.
The intense rain converted streets into muddy torrents that carried away vehicles and waste containers across Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia, and Valencia.
Tragedies struck around the central city of Toledo, with three people killed due to extreme weather conditions.
AEMET recorded an all-time high of 90 liters of rain per square meter in Toledo on Sunday.
Detailing the unfortunate events, police mentioned that a young man lost his life trapped in a waterlogged elevator, and another person was inside a car when it got inundated.
Other than the dead people, the third fatality was a 50-year-old man previously reported missing. “His body was found in the afternoon floating in a river near his home in the town of Camarena.”
A US missionary residing in Toledo, Isabella Stewart, recalled: “It just kept raining and we were a little scared, but we were indoors so we were safe.”
Ruben Gonzalez noted: “I live four blocks away and it was very strong. Everything is flooded. This is crazy.”
Later in the day, AEMET released a statement indicating that the “cut-off low phenomenon” responsible for the heavy rainfall was beginning to move away from Spain.
“The minor was rescued after he had climbed up a tree,” stated the Madrid emergency service.
Rescue efforts were also directed towards finding a woman who went missing near Toledo and an 84-year-old man who was swept away by a rush of water and mud in Villamanta, situated to the west of Madrid.
