Death toll rises above 150 as frightening images reveal destruction from Spain’s deadliest flood in decades

Frightening images have revealed the true destructive impact of the deadly floods which have devastated Spain.

Heavy rainfall across the Mediterranean country has led to a major flooding disaster, with the worst affected south-east of the region seeing as much as 400 litres of rain per square metre falling on Tuesday (30 October) alone, while aerial maps show how the downpour has impacted the landscape.

Spain has been devastated by the worst floods in three decades (David Ramos/Getty Images)

The death toll from the floods has now passed 150 people, including a 71-year-old British national - as aid workers race against time to conduct rescue missions.

What caused the torrential flooding in Spain?

Researchers have identified the likely main cause as a weather phenomenon referred to in Spanish as either 'gota fría' - meaning cold drop - or 'Depresion Aislada en Niveles Altos' (DANA) and occurs when cold air moves across the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This contrast in temperature can lead to atmospheric instability, which in turn causes storms and heavy rainfall.

DANA often happens around the late summer and autumn months, with regions in southern and eastern Spain being the most susceptible to the heaviest rains, however, it is believed that climate change is making the phenomenon worse.

Horrifying images show buildings damaged and cars piled up in the streets (David Ramos/Getty Images)

A search and rescue operation is now underway, with over 150 confirmed deaths (Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)

Which areas are the worst hit?

The heaviest rain occurred in the Chiva region of Valencia, which saw 491mm of rain in just eight hours, as per Sky News, and is more than the annual amount of rain expected for the area.

According to the most recent figures published by the BBC, 155 people have been reported dead in the Valencia region alone, while two deaths have been recorded in the neighbouring province of Castilla-La Mancha and a British man, 71, passed away in the southern region of Andalusia after being rescued from his home.

Search and rescue missions are still ongoing to find survivors, with an undisclosed amount of people reported missing.

Meanwhile, photographs taken of the aftermath reveal the horrifying extent of the devastation, with images showing cars piled up on streets after being swept away as well as infrastructure which has also been damaged by the heavy rainfall.

Survivors have also shared harrowing details of their experiences, with one local comparing the downpour and resulting floods to a 'tsunami'.

Spanish authorities have not disclosed the number of people still missing (Victor Fernandez/Europa Press via Getty Images)

"When the water started to rise, it came as a wave," said 21-year-old Guillermo Serrano Pérez told the BBC. "It was like a tsunami."

Recalling her experience in an interview with Sky News, British national Karen Loftus, 62, explained how she and her husband were forced to climb out of their car windows after witnessing the bridge being 'washed away' by the storm.

"It was just like a disaster movie. You know when you think 'I could die here'. It was so utterly scary," she said.