Floods and floods have swamped buildings, destroyed bridges and left streets littered with debris in Valencia and other regions of southeastern Spain.
More than 150 people have died – most in the province of Valencia – and many others remain trapped or missing, according to authorities.
In the Valencian town of Paiporta, where a river overflowed, at least 40 deaths have been recorded so far.
“We all know someone who has died.”said pharmacist Miguel Guerrilla, standing in front of his pharmacy, covered in thick mud.
“It’s a nightmare.”
On Thursday, the BBC saw funeral vans recovering bodies from the street, while on nearby roads drifting cars piled up on top of each other.
Motorists have reported the horror of being trapped by rising floodwaters on Tuesday that turned roads and streets into rivers; many of those who survived climbed trees or bridges to escape.
Many people have been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter with friends and family, or in emergency shelters.
Residents of the affected regions have also suffered massive cuts in electricity, telephone coverage and internet.
Spain started on Thursday an official period of national mourning three days with flags at half-mast on government buildings and minutes of silence.
Public anger is growing over how a developed European country appeared to fail to warn many communities in time about the danger of flooding.
They have been raised doubts about whether disaster management services issued warnings too late.
The civil protection agency did not issue an alert until 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, local time, when several areas of Valencia had been flooded for hours.
The authorities have described the downpours and floods as “unprecedented”.
Authorities have not revealed the number of people still missing, but said they are “many.”
More than 90 deaths were recorded on Wednesday alone in the immediate aftermath of torrential rains and flash floods that largely affected Valencia, as well as the regions of Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.
The city of Chiva, near Valencia, received the equivalent of a year’s rainfall in just eight hoursaccording to the Spanish meteorological agency Aemet.
Train services between Madrid and Valencia were suspended as the tracks were blocked with vehicles or garbage, damaged or completely destroyed.
Emergency crews have helped rescue the injured and elderly from flooded homes.
Some areas could only be reached by helicopter as roads were blocked by mud and debris.
The government has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers to help with rescue efforts.
Production by Dominic Bailey and Camilla Costa. Selection of images by Matthew Tucker.
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