Two women have died and two babies have been injured after torrential rain triggered a landslide and a sudden torrent of water, mud and rocks through a small village in the north-western Spanish province of León (Castilla y León).
The disaster struck Manzanedo de Valdueza, in the El Bierzo area near Ponferrada, on Saturday evening, when intense rainfall caused part of the mountainside to give way.
According to Spain’s National Police, the resulting flood channelled water and mud down Calle de la Iglesia and hit a wine cellar where six people were present.
Two women, aged approximately 60 and 80, were killed. Two babies suffered bruising and received medical attention.
A man in his 80s who was initially reported missing was subsequently located unharmed. Authorities said there were no reports of any other missing people.
Marco Morala, mayor of nearby Ponferrada, said that ‘fierce storms in the hills triggered a large flow of stones, mud and sludge’.
Images published by local media showed the aftermath of the torrent, with a mass of mud and stones having swept through the village and a vehicle apparently flattened by the debris.
The alarm was raised at 7.38pm, according to Carlos Cortina, Ponferrada councillor responsible for security, after the Castilla y León 112 emergency operations centre received several calls reporting what had happened.
Emergency services mounted a major response involving firefighters from Ponferrada, National Police, local police, the Guardia Civil, emergency coordinators and medical teams.
The Castilla y León Civil Protection and Emergencies Agency also deployed a rescue helicopter to assist with search and evacuation operations. Medical resources sent to the area included basic and advanced life-support ambulances as well as personnel from a local continuous-care medical centre.
The force of the water also damaged roads in the surrounding area. The road leading to Peñalba de Santiago, a route which has previously been affected by landslides, was closed.
Nearby Bouzas was also hit by a separate deluge, where floodwater swept away several vehicles and caused further material damage.
Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, president of the regional government of Castilla y León, expressed his condolences following the deaths.
‘A day of profound sorrow in Manzanedo de Valdueza. My deepest condolences and all my affection go to the families and loved ones of the two women who died,’ he wrote on X.
He added that ‘there are no words for a tragedy like this’ and offered ‘all our affection and support’ to those affected.
The deadly flooding came during a period of severe weather across parts of Spain. León province had been under an orange warning for torrential rain on Saturday, while on Sunday Spain’s Civil Protection authorities warned of storms and heavy rainfall across seven regions in the centre and north of the country.
The sudden switch to intense rain follows weeks in which Spain has faced extreme conditions of a very different kind, with high temperatures and wildfires affecting several parts of the country.
León was among the provinces badly affected during Spain’s devastating 2025 wildfire season, when the country recorded an exceptionally high area of land burned.
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👉La tromba de agua que golpeó Manzanedo de Valdueza deja dolor y una estampa de barro, piedras y destrozoshttps://t.co/EQN6Hy2cSa pic.twitter.com/7j1LCOPgDG
— Tribuna Salamanca (@TribunaSal) August 16, 2026
Una riada deja dos muertos en Manzanedo de Valdueza, cerca de Ponferrada pic.twitter.com/UKijqb6oVj
— EL MUNDO (@elmundoes) August 15, 2026
🔴 AMPLIACIÓN | #Canal24Horas
— RTVE Noticias (@rtvenoticias) August 15, 2026
Mueren dos mujeres y dos menores resultan heridos tras una riada en Manzanedo de Valdueza pic.twitter.com/LcfTeVBEvd
Día de profundo dolor en Manzanedo de Valdueza. Mi más sentido pésame y todo mi cariño a las familias y seres queridos de las dos mujeres fallecidas.
— Alfonso F. Mañueco (@alferma1) August 15, 2026
No hay palabras para una tragedia así. Todo nuestro afecto y cercanía. https://t.co/SJkowfxQSD
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