The flash floods turned streets into rivers, destroyed homes, and swept away vehicles with people inside. The region of Valencia including cities such as Alzira, Jerez and Cartaya, as well as the province of Huelva (in Andalusia), have been severely affected.

Some have been affected more than others, such as the city of Paiporta with a population of around 25,000, which has reported 62 deaths so far. The prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, declared a three-day mourning period to remember those lost in the catastrophe.

The rain started on Tuesday evening, catching many residents by surprise. Most of them were at work and received a weather alert from the local authorities at 8pm to return to their homes. By that time the flood had already started, making it difficult for many to return home quickly. By 9pm, it was too late. Many of them got stuck in their cars and were swept away by the torrent of water and mud.

Local authorities and first responders to this tragedy have been highly criticised for their late response. Critics say local authorities failed to issue timely storm warnings about the potential danger, while the depth of the flooding and damaged infrastructure created obstacles for the rescuers that impaired their ability to offer help quickly.

The government of Valencia admitted to only distributing text messages alerting people in the affected areas about the disaster eight hours after the first flood indicators and ten hours after AEMET issued a warning regarding extreme risk in the area. No advice was given regarding finding high ground as a measure of safety.

Spanish authorities have deployed thousands of people to help, with the prime minister sending an additional 10,000 soldiers, civil guard and police to the Valencia region on 2 November.

Regardless, residents affected still need help. Thousands of volunteers from neighbouring towns and other parts of Spain have arrived in the areas of devastation to clean and search for missing people, as well as bringing food, water and other essential supplies.

The weather phenomenon that caused the heavy rain is called DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos), and is sometimes called the “cold drop”. Unfortunately, experts say that it is becoming more intense and unpredictable with time, due to climate change.

Over 100,000 people protested against the regional authorities’ response and clamoured for Mazón’s resignation. For multiple days now, Spanish residents have been going out into the streets. On 3 November, as King Felipe and Queen Letizia were walking through one of the most affected towns – Paiporta – they were pelted with mud and other objects. Shouts such as “murderer” and “shame” were heard from the angry crowd.

The royal visit, which aimed to decrease people’s rage, only increased it. Prime minister Sánchez was quickly evacuated from the crowd, while the monarchs marched through it. When Sánchez left the scene, people became even more enraged questioning where he left and shouting out his name.

As of now, thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and many residents left homeless. Businesses, schools and public infrastructure are also severely damaged, leading to significant economic loss.

In response to the disaster, Valencia is undertaking significant infrastructure improvements, including the construction of new drainage systems and flood control measures. Sánchez announced a grant of $11.55bn to help rebuild the region after the catastrophe, although local officials claim the actual cost will be $34bn.