Castile and Leon emergency services confirm two deaths after landslide in northwestern Spain
Regional authorities report fatalities among elderly residents as rescue teams navigate hilly terrain following a public holiday disaster.
Emergency services in the Castile and Leon region have confirmed the deaths of two women, aged approximately 60 and 80, following a flood and landslide in the rural village of Manzanedo de Valdueza. The incident occurred on Saturday during a public holiday, when torrential rain triggered a debris flow that claimed lives and injured two babies, who were treated for bruises.
Marco Morala, mayor of the nearby town of Ponferrada, stated that fierce storms in the hills triggered a large flow of stones, mud, and sludge that swept through the area. Footage captured by a rescue helicopter showed the scene surrounded by hilly, forested terrain, with images from local media depicting a grey mass of debris that had flattened a vehicle.
A third person, a man in his 80s who had been reported missing, was found unharmed by rescue teams comprising firefighters, police, ambulances, and the Civil Guard. The disaster also caused material damage in the neighbouring village of Bouzas, according to local officials.
The event follows weeks of extreme weather in Spain, including heatwaves and wildfires. The Leon province, which includes Manzanedo de Valdueza, suffered some of the country’s worst wildfires in 2025, a record year for hectares burned as recorded by the European Forest Fire Information System.
The exact cause of the torrential rain remains unverified beyond meteorological observation, and the full extent of structural damage to private properties in the affected villages has not been quantified. Authorities continue to assess the impact of the disaster in the northwestern region.
