Heavy rain causes more flooding in Spain

The death toll is rising

The death toll from violent storms in Spain has risen to at least 205 after more bodies were found.

The region's emergency services said on the 10th that 202 people were killed in Valencia, the hardest-hit Mediterranean region alone. Two other people died in the Castilla-La Mancha region and one person died in the Andalucia region, according to authorities. Authorities recently said a total of 158 people had died.

Dozens of people are still missing. Defense Minister Margarita Robles told RTVE they expected to find more dead, such as those in cars. Many vehicles were trapped in floodwaters during Tuesday's storm.

Huelva floods

The Spanish Meteorological Office on Friday announced the highest warning level for heavy rain in several areas in the country's southwest. Huelva, for example, was particularly badly affected: images showed the port city largely submerged in floods.

More than 40 flooding incidents were also reported in the cities of Aljarak, Cartaya, Punta Umbria and Gifra Leon, the meteorological service said.

At least 62 people died in the southern Valencia town of Paiporta alone, Mayor Maribel Albalat reported. Two of the dead were found in the Castile-La Mancha region and at least one victim was found in Andalusia.

The orange alert level continues to apply to the area surrounding Valencia, which has been particularly hard hit in recent days. A lot of precipitation is still expected here.

Heavy rainfall in Chihuahua

Rainfall reached more than 300 liters per square meter in parts of Valencia in a few hours on Tuesday night. The village of Chiva was particularly affected, with rainfall reaching nearly 500 liters per square meter. This amount of rainfall is usually equivalent to an entire year's rainfall, according to Spanish weather service Aemet.

In an interview with RNE, the mayor of Chiva described the dire situation of the city's isolated residents: “We continue to ask for food, water… There are children, the elderly… They cannot cope with snacks. We need baby milk, broken food for babies and the elderly “The whole house is gone and we don't know if anyone is inside.” The city of Chihua has been without power, water and communications since Tuesday.

Cataroha suffers severe damage

Lorena Silvent, the mayor of the heavily damaged town of Cataroja south of Valencia, told state broadcaster RTVE this morning that everything was gone. “Everything is welcome – food, drinking water, equipment to restore water supply, clothes.” Power supply and communication networks have not yet been restored in various places.

Sivante is currently planning to set up a supply point in the town, which has a population of nearly 30,000, to distribute donated goods such as food and clothing. She also wants to create a 24/7 contact point for medical care. She did not say when she expected help from national organizations, such as distributing humanitarian aid or clearing streets clogged with cars.

Storms in Mallorca and Ibiza

The storm has now reached Mallorca and is causing heavy rain. The first delay occurred at the airport. The meteorological department has announced an “orange warning level”. Ibiza also experienced heavy rainfall. According to Majorcan newspaper, emissions are as high as 40 liters per square meter.

More emergency services are dispatched to disaster areas

Many places remain under lockdown; food, drinking water, equipment such as shovels, electricity and telecommunications are scarce almost everywhere. The Spanish government announced that it will send an additional 500 soldiers to the disaster-stricken areas from Friday to ensure logistical support and the distribution of relief supplies. In addition to rescue workers, more than 1,200 soldiers are already helping.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles hopes to send more troops than the 1,700 already deployed to areas devastated by the storm.

She told state broadcaster RTVE on Friday that the numbers would increase as long as rescue and reconstruction efforts were necessary. Communities and towns near the large city of the same name in the Mediterranean region of Valencia have been particularly affected.

Robles named towns such as Ribarroja, Paiporta and Algemesí, where troops have not yet been deployed and to which troops are being sent. Resources will be unlimited. She did not give a specific figure on how many more soldiers would be added tomorrow.

Robles also noted that it was too early to estimate the full extent of the storm's disaster. “There are still places where there are piles of cars with people and families possibly inside.” Robles promised: “The military will be stationed in all communities affected by this situation.”

Transport Minister Óscar Puente said 80 kilometers of roads and local transport links had been destroyed in the greater Valencia region.

“We have to clear a supermarket so we can distribute food to the people,” Juan Ramón Adsuara, mayor of Alfafar, a town of 20,000 people, told À Punt TV in Valencia province. In residents' communities, there are still corpses living in people's homes. Currently, more than 1,200 officers and soldiers are involved in the rescue work.

Rail and air traffic remain severely affected; in particular the high-speed rail line between Valencia and Madrid is expected to be disrupted for two to three weeks. The country declared three days of national mourning.

Theft in shopping malls and houses

According to media reports, items such as electronic equipment, jewelry and perfume were stolen from malls left unattended after the disaster. According to the National Police, 39 suspects have been arrested. After looting stores and houses, there will be an increased police presence.

Many people died and their whereabouts are still unknown

Tuesday's severe storm mainly hit Valencia in the Mediterranean region. There have been 202 confirmed deaths in the province of the same name alone. Other areas of the Mediterranean popular with tourists, such as Andalusia and Murcia, as well as inland Castile-La Mancha, have also been affected.

Spanish Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres said after a crisis committee meeting that dozens of people were still missing. Due to the high death toll, we will send more forensic experts to the disaster area and, if necessary, request help from abroad.

The first communities, like Cataloja in southern Valencia, still inaccessible by road, are now adopting a self-help approach to be able to provide residents with essential supplies.

Residents, volunteers and emergency services cleared streets of mud, debris and swept cars.

According to the newspaper Las Provincias, more and more volunteers are also gathering in the city of Valencia. They collect donations, distribute them to affected urban areas, and equip themselves with equipment to help with cleanup efforts. The city has also set up a first point of contact for people entering the city from surrounding towns, who often are covered in mud and walk across the bridge in search of food, water or shelter, RTVE reported.

The minister said that despite progress in restoring infrastructure and clearing clogged roads, the situation remains difficult. Tens of thousands of homes remain without power.

Real Madrid donates generously to flood victims

Real Madrid, together with the Red Cross, have launched a fundraising campaign for those affected by the storm in Spain. The Royals donated 1 million euros to this end “to help the many families in critical situations who need our full help and solidarity”.

More storms expected

The “cold” weather phenomenon that caused Tuesday's heavy rain is now moving partially to the northeast. Authorities warned of thunderstorms and heavy rains, especially in the province of Castellon, which is also part of the Valencian region.

Storms are also expected on the popular tourist islands of Mallorca and Menorca in the Balearic Islands. Orange, the second-highest warning level, applies to the area so far. Other parts of the Mediterranean popular with tourists, such as Andalusia and Murcia and inland Castile-La Mancha, were also affected by Tuesday's storm.

(DAB/NDA/DPA/NIH)