Spain entered a period of mourning on Thursday, grieving the loss of at least 158 lives following catastrophic floods. Authorities advised residents in flood-affected areas to remain indoors as rescue teams continued their urgent search for survivors amid ongoing challenges posed by blocked and hazardous areas.

The disaster struck after an unusually intense Mediterranean storm unleashed torrential rains and mud-filled floodwaters on Tuesday, destroying eastern Spain, with the Valencia region bearing the brunt of the damage.

By Thursday afternoon, Valencia rescue coordination had confirmed 155 fatalities, while officials in Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia reported three additional deaths on Wednesday.

As many individuals remain unaccounted for and certain areas remain unreachable, government officials had already cautioned that Wednesday’s death toll of 95 was provisional and could increase.

Flags were flown at half-mast on government buildings, and moments of silence were observed nationwide as Spain declared three days of mourning to honour the victims of its most devastating floods in decades.