Massive floods from torrential rains claim several lives in Spain

As the president attended these events, throughout Tuesday — and for several days preceding — Spain’s national weather service was sending his regional government increasingly urgent warnings that a flood of catastrophic proportions was approaching.

In Spain, flash floods have killed at least 158 people this week after torrential rain turned towns and villages in the eastern and southern parts of the country into rivers.

Rescue efforts are ongoing as heavy rain continues to affect other parts of the country

The death toll from devastating floods in the eastern Spanish region of Valencia has risen to 140, national news agency EFE reported, as the country began three days of mourning and the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, urged people to stay at home.