The 29 October 2024 floods killed around 237 people, making them one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern Spanish and European history.
Key Facts
- Date
- 29 October 2024
- Death toll
- ~237 people
- Cause
- Isolated high-level low-pressure area (DANA)
- Regions affected
- Valencian Community, Castilla–La Mancha, Andalusia
- Political consequence
- Valencian president Carlos Mazón resigned Nov 2025
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
An isolated low-pressure area at high altitude (DANA) triggered torrential rainfall across eastern Spain on 29 October 2024, delivering over a year's worth of precipitation in a matter of hours. Climate change is considered a likely factor in the extreme intensity of the rainfall, and inadequate preparation by regional and national governments worsened the human toll.
Severe floodwaters swept through multiple regions including the Valencian Community, Castilla–La Mancha, and Andalusia. The disaster killed approximately 237 people and caused extensive property damage, ranking it among the deadliest natural disasters in Spanish and European history. Emergency response was widely criticised, particularly in Valencia.
In the aftermath, thousands of volunteers and nonprofit organisations from across Spain mobilised to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts. Sustained public criticism over the government's handling of the disaster led Carlos Mazón, president of the Valencian Community, to announce his resignation in November 2025.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 237 (flood)