Flash floods kill at least 51 people in Spain

The regional leader of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, told a news conference that some people remained stranded in inaccessible locations. Police and rescue services were using helicopters to lift people to safety from their homes and cars.

More than 1,000 soldiers from the country's emergency response units had been deployed to the devastated areas.

“Yesterday was the worst day of my life,” said Ricardo Gabaldón, the mayor of the town of Utiel near Valencia. He told national broadcaster RTVE that several people were still missing in his town.

“We were trapped like rats. Cars and trash containers were flowing down the streets. The water was rising to three meters,” Gabaldón said.

While the rain had subsided in Valencia by late Wednesday morning, Spain's national weather service forecast more storms through Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

Spain has experienced similar autumn storms in recent years, but has seen nothing on the scale of this week’s destruction. It is still recovering from a severe drought earlier this year.

Scientists say increased episodes of extreme weather are likely linked to climate change.