San Francisco Frontiers - Mud and misery grip epicentre of Spain floods

"We are devastated," Paiporta resident Pepi Guerrero told AFP, her voice trembling as she queued for water with Spain reeling from its deadliest floods in decades.

Tuesday's weather had been fairly inclement, but no one could have foreseen the onslaught of murky water that claimed dozens of lives in the commuter town outside the eastern city of Valencia.

Guerrero had just left work when she saw the water surging through the streets, rushing back home to save her life.

"I came on the metro, but the metro doesn't exist anymore," the tearful 53-year-old cleaning employee said.

Paiporta's railways hung in a tangled mess from a bridge, one of many structures and people the raging torrents swept away.

On both sides of the river, a thick layer of mud smothered the streets, marking the trail of destruction that ripped through the town in a flash.

- 'Trapped' -

"Everything happened in half an hour," remembered pensioner Julian Loras, 60, who narrowly avoided the floods while walking his dog.

"All the basements were filled with water. A lot of people got nervous, they went to take the car out and they were trapped there," he said, fearing more bodies would be found.

The apocalyptic weather was as brief as it was brutal. The sun shone brightly when AFP visited on Thursday, giving the mud a more intense hue.

Opposite the river near the town's commercial hub, Manuel Ciscar and his daughter were trying to forge a path towards their house.

Inside the garage, the family's three cars had been transformed into a pyramid of wreckage.

Ciscar, a 76-year-old pensioner, has only received heart-breaking news of acquaintances dying since Tuesday in the town where he has lived and worked all his life.

"Today I learned of two more deaths," he said.

- 'Our guard was down' -

No business was left untouched on the high street. The chairs of a dental clinic were strewn, shutters were dented and all ground floors were wasted.

Residents were removing the sludge with buckets, shovels and broomsticks when a sharp noise suddenly blared from their mobile phones -- an alert from the civil protection service warning not to travel by road to clear the way for emergency vehicles.

But many in Paiporta feel the warnings on the fateful day came too late for the unsuspecting residents.

"Nobody warned of anything," complained Joaquin Rigon, 21. "When we started receiving notifications the water was up to here," he said pointing to his belt.

Loras was spared from the water thanks to a call from his son but he too regretted more alerts were not launched.

Pushing a trolley stuffed with food bought from one of the few shops open in a distant industrial estate, Xisco Martinez was at a loss to offer an explanation.

"Water wasn't falling here, our guard was down."

N.Wilson--SFF