Spain floods turned deadly overnight as torrential rain triggered a landslide that buried the small village of Manzanedo de Valdueza, roughly 130 kilometers from León in the country’s northwest, under mud and rock.
Regional authorities in Castile and León confirmed that two women, aged 60 and 80, lost their lives in the disaster. Two infants were injured, while an elderly man who had briefly been reported missing was later found safe. According to Spanish news agency EFE, the victims were sheltering in a basement when a sudden surge of muddy floodwater swept through the space after hours of intense rainfall.
Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and civil guard units worked through the night to reach residents trapped by the debris. Local officials have since confirmed that no one remains unaccounted for in the affected area.
Marco Morala, mayor of the neighboring town of Ponferrada, described enormous volumes of rock, mud and sediment cascading down the hillsides, destroying several vehicles and damaging a number of buildings. The nearby village of Bouzas was also hit hard, with floodwaters sweeping away cars and landslides cutting off access roads, temporarily isolating both communities from the surrounding region.
Notably, Oligario Ramón, president of the Bierzo regional council, suggested that recent wildfires in the area may have contributed to the disaster. By destroying vegetation that normally helps stabilize soil and prevent erosion, the fires likely left the surrounding slopes far more vulnerable to sudden collapse.
Storm and heavy rainfall warnings remain in effect across seven regions in central and northern Spain, with civil protection services urging residents to exercise extreme caution. The tragedy underscores a broader pattern of increasingly severe weather events across the Iberian Peninsula, reviving questions about how rural communities can adapt to fast-changing climate risks.
Officials have not yet announced the total cost of the damage, though early assessments point to significant destruction to local infrastructure. Authorities say the search and rescue phase has concluded, but recovery and safety inspections in the affected valley are expected to continue in the coming days.
