In an updated report today, Spanish authorities announced that at least 217 people have lost their lives due to the floods, with 213 of those deaths occurring in the region of Valencia, three in Castilla-La Mancha—where the lifeless body of a 70-year-old woman who had been missing since Tuesday was found this morning—and one in Andalusia.
Among the victims are two Chinese nationals, according to the Chinese embassy in Madrid, while two more are reported as missing.
Authorities expect the death toll to rise. “There are still flooded ground floors, storage areas, basements, and parking garages that need to be cleared, and it’s expected that deceased individuals may still be found in these areas,” warned Transport Minister Óscar Puente.
According to the minister, the numbers have changed little over the past 48 hours, as rescue services initially focused on “the more accessible areas” located “at the surface.”
At the Vatican, Pope Francis called on people to “pray for Valencia and others in Spain who are suffering so much at this time.”
Scenes of near-riots in Paiporta can be understood given the dire situation faced by residents, with damaged or non-functioning infrastructure and piles of cars and debris lining the streets.
“It’s like the end of the world,” said Elena Dana Daniela, the owner of a restaurant-bar in the town of Chiva, to the French news agency AFP. Still in shock five days after the storm, she described how people who were trapped were “crying out for help, and we couldn’t do anything. It drives you mad. We’re searching for answers but can’t find any.”
As rain began to fall again this evening in Valencia, with the sky becoming increasingly dark and heavy, Catalan authorities decided to restrict travel and close schools preemptively in several locations in the southern part of the region.
Also read: Spain gathers itself after destructive floods – 158 dead or missing (VIDEO-PHOTOS)
