PAIPORTA, Spain - The water was already knee-high on the ground floor of the hotel where Aitana Puchal had taken refugee when she received a text alert from the regional government of Valencia at 8 pm on Oct.

Some see the floods as an example of the effect of a changing climate that is making overwhelming downpours more common. Locals also say government warnings came too late.

Something like this has not happened in Cadaques for many, many years.” Local media has reported that the intensity of the downpour has eased, however the dramatic incident comes as communities in Valencia continue mopping up after at least 219 people died in flash flooding in the worst event of its kind in decades.

Rescue teams are still searching for those missing in what could become Europe's worst storm-related disaster in over five decades.

Spain was soaked in its wettest October on record last month which culminated in catastrophic floods that have killed 219 people and left dozens missing, the government said on Friday.