MADRID — Rescuers in Spain have raised the death toll from the country’s worst floods in a generation to at least 205, as the government deploys more troops in a desperate search for survivors.
The floods, which have tossed vehicles, collapsed bridges and covered towns with mud since Tuesday, are the European country’s deadliest such disaster in decades.
The emergency services coordinating agency in the hard-hit eastern Valencia region reported 202 confirmed fatalities there. Officials in the neighboring regions of Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia have already announced a combined three deaths.
Rescue teams equipped with drones and sniffer dogs are wading through the water and sifting through debris in search of the dozens still believed missing. The government is sending an additional 500 troops to the stricken areas, bolstering the 1,200 already on site for search, rescue and logistical support.
Some cut-off areas remain without water, food or power three days after the floods began, and many roads and rail lines are still inaccessible, raising fears the death toll will continue to climb.
“There is still a pile of cars in the industrial estate, mountains and mountains of cars,” said Amparo Fort, mayor of the town of Chiva. “Many must be empty, but we are sure others are occupied.”
According to Spain’s national weather service, the town west of Valencia recorded 491 mm of rain in just eight hours on Tuesday — nearly a year’s worth.
The government has vowed an “uncompromising response” to looting, with police reporting 50 arrests so far for incidents including thefts from cars and a jewelry store.
“Until things return to normal and the supermarket opens, it’s going to be very bad here,” said Fernando Lozano, a resident of the Valencia town of Aldaia.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has hailed the “limitless solidarity and dedication of Spanish society” and promised long-term aid. But officials have urged people not to travel to the worst-affected areas, saying emergency services cannot reach them and roads remain at risk of collapse.
Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the ferocity, length and frequency of such extreme weather events.
