Flash floods rip through Spanish town and kill a 102-year-old woman as 90 people are rescued

From the Newshound archive · first published 3 October 2026 · last updated 4 October 2026.

A 102-year-old woman was found dead in her home after floodwaters inundated Madrigueras, Albacete, where 142 litres of rain per square metre fell in three hours. Video showed cars stacked on top of each other and swept through the town centre by a powerful surge, with indoor water levels reaching more than three feet. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said "last night was especially tough in Madrigueras" and offered his condolences to the victim's family.

Madrigueras lies 120 miles north-west of Alicante, not far from popular British holiday destinations including Benidorm.

As streets turned into fast-moving rivers and vehicles vanished beneath the torrent, residents watched from their upper-floor balconies.

Officials drew comparisons to the catastrophic 2024 Valencia dana floods, which claimed 232 lives across Spain.