The death toll from severe storms in Spain passed 200 on Friday, after the government pledged to send hundreds of extra troops to help residents of flood-hit areas.
There were at least 202 victims from the eastern region of Valencia alone, the regional government’s emergency services posted on X.
Authorities said two more people died in the Castile-La Mancha region, and one fatality occurred in the Andalusia region. Previously, they had reported a total of 158 confirmed deaths.
Dozens of people are still missing.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on broadcaster RTVE that they expect more bodies may be found in vehicles. Numerous vehicles were stranded by flash flooding during Tuesday’s storm.
Robles said another 500 soldiers have been deployed to the affected region, mainly to the coastal city of Valencia and surrounding areas. In addition to the rescue services, more than 1,200 soldiers have already been deployed.
Troops will work to reach every affected village, Robles continued.
In the region surrounding Valencia, 80 kilometers of roads and local transport links have been destroyed, Transport Minister Óscar Puente said.
Municipalities such as Catarroja south of the city of Valencia, which are still not accessible by road, are preparing to provide residents with essentials.
Catarroja Mayor Lorena Silvent told RVTE: “Everything is welcome; food, drinking water, equipment to repair the water supply, clothing.” She noted that power and telecommunications have not yet been fully restored in all areas.
Silvent plans to set up supply points for distributing donations in the city of almost 30,000 inhabitants. A 24-hour reception point for medical devices is also planned. The mayor did not say when state aid for clearing blocked streets could be expected.
Juan Ramón Adsuara, mayor of the neighboring municipality of Alfafar, told broadcaster À Punt: “We had to clear a supermarket to be able to distribute food to people.”
There were still people in the community of 20,000 living with dead bodies in their homes, he said.
An increasing number of volunteers are gathering in Valencia to collect donations for distribution in the affected areas, Las Provincias newspaper reported. They also help with clean-up.
Shelters have been set up to provide food and water to people arriving on foot, covered in mud from surrounding areas, RTVE reported.
