SPAIN – At least 62 people have died in flash floods in southeastern Spain, the regional government of Valencia said on Wednesday, with many people unable to reach safety as large amounts of rain flooded buildings and rendered highways unusable. Some locations in southern and eastern Spain received up to 12 inches of rain in just a few hours on Tuesday.

Footage from the city of Valencia showed muddy water flooding through the streets, tearing down walls and sweeping away parked cars. In towns close to rivers such as Utiel or Paiporta, water spilled onto the streets, CNN en Español reported. Vans, cars and garbage cans were swept away by currents that, in some cases, reached the first floor of buildings.

The sheer amount of rain that fell meant many were taken by surprise, with people finding themselves trapped in their basements or first floors and unable to get to safety. The region was thrown into a state of chaos, with most highways becoming completely unusable on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Vehicles that had been left abandoned in traffic were picked up by the water and moved around.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that his government would use all means necessary to help victims of the floods, as he asked people to remain vigilant. Valencia’s regional leader Carlos Mazón told reporters earlier on Wednesday that some bodies were found as rescue teams began to reach areas previously cut off by the floods, adding, “Out of respect for the families we are not going to give any more details.”

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles described the flooding as an “unprecedented phenomenon,” CNN en Español reported. Robles said that more than 1,000 members of the military had been deployed to assist in rescue efforts. The death toll is expected to rise as authorities said the current figures are “provisional.” Mazón also urged residents in the provinces of Valencia and Castellón to avoid travelling by road. Residents on Wednesday were facing a huge clean-up and searching for bodies, as well as the threat of more rainstorms. (CNN) …[+]