Spain Floods: Children Rescued by Helicopter as Storm Kills Several

Catastrophic rainfall submerged towns across eastern Spain this week, trapping residents in homes and vehicles as roads became impassable rivers. More than 600 millimeters, roughly 25 inches, of rain fell in a single 36-hour period in one of the hardest-hit areas, forcing authorities to deploy army helicopters and emergency units to rescue hundreds of people.

Storm Adam slammed Spain's eastern coast with extraordinary force, turning the provinces of Valencia and Alicante into scenes of devastation. Rivers burst their banks, cars were swept away, and residents found themselves stranded on rooftops and in vehicles as rescue teams worked under dangerous conditions to reach them.

Spain submerged: Storm turns neighborhoods into disaster zones, helicopters rescue children from rooftops (Photo: Social media)

According to a Reuters report Monday, the town of Pego in Alicante province recorded approximately 632 millimeters of rain within 36 hours. Other areas in southern Valencia and northern Alicante saw more than 500 millimeters in the same timeframe.

At the height of the storm, authorities ordered residents in some 145 towns to remain indoors. The restrictions were later eased, but emergency crews continued battling widespread flooding.

Helicopters were scrambled to airlift residents trapped by rising waters, including children, elderly people and families who had climbed onto roofs of homes and vehicles. Spain's Civil Guard, fire brigades and military emergency units all took part in the rescue operations.

In the town of Oliva, among the worst affected, people were pulled from flooded homes and camping sites overwhelmed by the deluge. In one helicopter rescue, eight adults, a child, a baby and a dog were airlifted to safety. In another case, a 93-year-old woman was evacuated from her flooded home using a paddleboard.

The damage was visible across multiple communities. In Els Poblets, cars and vans were piled on top of one another. In some areas, streets remained submerged and homes filled with mud. Roads were blocked, and access to certain towns became so difficult that even heavy military vehicles struggled to reach them.

Reports confirmed several deaths from the flooding, including women who were swept away or caught in rising waters. On Monday, a 41-year-old man was killed when a large boulder tumbled down and struck his car on a road near Ronda in southern Spain. Three other passengers in the vehicle were injured.

Storm Adam strikes Spain (Photo: Social media)

More than 2,000 people were evacuated from their homes in the Valencia and Alicante regions, with hundreds rescued by emergency forces. Schools were closed, transport services disrupted and numerous roads blocked. Authorities set up aid centers and temporary shelters for residents unable to return home.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Oliva and announced that the government would move to declare the affected towns disaster zones eligible for special civil assistance. Meanwhile, Valencia regional authorities announced an initial aid package of 23.5 million euros for affected residents.