A British expat living in flood-hit Spain was forced to endure the harrowing experience of hearing his neighbours’ desperate cries for help as surging floodwaters engulfed their homes.
Jerome Torres, 49, described the scenes in Valencia’s flooded streets as “apocalyptic,” likening them to something from a horror film.
Trapped on the fourth floor of his apartment in Paiporta with his partner Pablo, Mr Torres witnessed the catastrophic flooding that swept away cars and inundated buildings on the evening of last Tuesday.
Authorities have confirmed at least 62 fatalities in the region, with many more people feared dead or missing due to the violent storms.
Disturbing footage taken from Mr Torres’ flat shows streets transformed into raging rivers, with cars and debris swept along by the powerful currents.
He revealed that three lives were lost on his street alone, as neighbours on higher floors attempted to throw ropes and bedding to those trapped below, hoping to help them cling to safety.
He told The Sun: “The water was reaching horrendous levels and we were hearing neighbours that were trapped in their ground floor houses starting to shout but it was impossible to go outside because of the strength of the water.
“We could hear people shouting that were being taken by this urban river in our streets. The neighbours on higher floors were throwing ropes and bedding to try to help people so that they could catch something and try to get out of the water.”
In one remarkable story of survival, a 90-year-old woman on the ground floor managed to stand on furniture as water rushed into her home, remaining trapped for over four hours before neighbours could navigate through thick mud to carry her to safety.
Jerome recalled the treacherous rescue, which took almost 40 minutes due to the dangerous, muddy terrain around her flat.
Mr Torres said: “In front of her house, there was a mound of mud, a meter and a half high.
“It was very slippery and very difficult to navigate but they managed to do it. It took about 40 minutes to get her out.”
Mr Torres finally left his flat the following morning.
He added: “The day that we came back and saw the devastation, it was completely unrecognisable. “It felt like an American Hollywood film. It was apocalyptic.”
