Police Officer Used Bed Sheets to Rescue Woman from 6-Foot-Deep Floodwaters, Watch the Video
Over 200 people in Spain have died from the flooding as of Nov. 1
Amid the major flash floods in Spain that have so far claimed the lives of over 200 people, another tragedy was averted when a police officer saved a woman’s life from the floodwaters by using bed sheets.
The Policía Nacional (Spanish National Police) said in a post on Facebook on Thursday, Oct. 31, and later reported by Storyful, a woman could be seen holding on to a makeshift rope out of bed sheets to pull her from the six-foot-deep waters that also featured submerged vehicles.
“Our colleague Daniel, a police sub-inspector, was off duty last night to keep a neighbor afloat when she was being dragged by the current in Benetússer,” Policía Nacional said in a Spanish-language written post.
“Moments before, he saved another neighbor thanks to a rope he made with sheets,” the department added.
In an interview with Spanish television broadcaster RTVE, the officer said the "woman wanted to let go" but he "put my heart and soul into reminding her that she had grandchildren and her family."
Related: 1 Dead in South Dakota amid 'Catastrophic' Midwest Flooding
PEOPLE contacted Polica Nacional for additional information on Friday, Nov. 1.
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The incident comes as Spain is dealing with flash floods that began with rainstorms on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and continued through Wednesday, Oct. 30, spanning the southern and eastern parts of the country — from Malaga to Valencia — according to the Associated Press.
According to Reuters and the BBC, a year's worth of rain came down in about eight hours in Valencia.
Over 200 people have reportedly died from the flooding as of Nov. 1, CNN and Reuters reported.
Adan Ortell Mor, of Valencia, told CNN that he had originally had a haircut appointment on the evening of Oct. 29 but canceled due to bad traffic. When he arrived home, he heard the news reports of cars caught in the floodwaters.
“I rushed to the balcony, looked around the side and there the water was coming. It was already at my door,” he told the outlet.
According to the Spanish Defense Ministry, 1,200 soldiers have been deployed and joined by another 500 in response to the tragedy.
“All united to help where needed, for as long as necessary,” according to the Defense Ministry’s Nov. 1 post on X.
In an Oct. 30 statement, the Spanish government declared three days of mourning following the devastation which will continue through Saturday, Nov. 2.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Oct. 31 called on citizens to stay home and to “please, follow the calls of the emergency services … Right now the most important thing is to save as many lives as possible," The Guardian reported.
