BBC One presents Why Cities Flood: Spain’s Deadly Disaster on Tuesday, June 24, at 9:00 PM, a documentary that revisits the horrifying floods that struck Valencia, Spain, on October 29, 2024. The program pulls no punches, opening with dramatic mobile phone footage of streets turning into rivers, cars becoming lethal projectiles, and homes quickly vanishing under rising waters.
The film relies on the raw accounts of eyewitnesses—residents trapped in their homes, motorists caught in the torrent—to convey the sheer terror of that day. With 228 fatalities, it stands as Europe’s deadliest storm flood since 1967, a chilling marker of a weather event that dropped a staggering 771mm of rain in just 14 hours.
Beyond the immediate human impact, the documentary broadens its scope, scrutinizing the role of climate change and urban development in amplifying such disasters. It looks at how a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall. The film also examines the criticism leveled at authorities for their slow response and a delayed mobile phone alert, prompting a discussion of new warning systems, like the US-developed Flash. It is worth noting the program also highlights the fact that a good number of new homes in the UK are being built in areas prone to floods.
The documentary doesn’t skirt the political fallout, either. It briefly covers the King and Queen of Spain, along with the prime minister, facing heckling during their visit to the affected area.
