Disaster in Spain: the country in shock after deadly floods

As rescue workers continue their tireless search, the death toll from the floods in Spain continues to rise. On Friday November 1, the emergency services announced that at least 205 people had lost their lives as a result of the torrential rains that have hit the country, particularly in the Valencia region where 202 victims have been recorded, according to the coordination center quoted by El Pais. This toll could rise, as “dozens and dozens of missing people” are still unaccounted for, the authorities said on Thursday.

39 arrests for looting in disaster areas

As rescue workers and the army continue to search for the many missing, looting has been reported in areas devastated by the floods. The government announced the arrest of 39 individuals involved in these acts, and stated that the forces of law and order would adopt “zero tolerance”, according to an AFP press release.

For its part, El País reports that 50 people have been arrested in the last three days for similar acts, including five who allegedly stole jewelry from a shopping center in Aldaia, on the outskirts of Valencia.

Military reinforcement in the valencia region

In response to requests from the president of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazón, military reinforcements were sent to the south-east of Spain on Friday morning. The new forces are aimed at containing the chaos and bringing aid to the areas hardest hit by the devastating floods earlier this week.

With these reinforcements, the total number of soldiers on site now stands at 1,700. Defense Minister Margarita Robles pledged continued support, saying the government would deploy “as many soldiers as necessary”, and that they would remain on the ground as long as the situation required. “We are ready to mobilize up to 120,000 troops if necessary,” she said in a TVE interview.

The troops’ priorities include reopening roads to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, particularly food aid, as well as taking part in the search for people still missing.

Regions on maximum alert

The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has placed several regions on high alert due to the increased risk of rain. The province of Huelva, in Andalusia, is on red alert, while several other regions are on orange alert: Andalusia, the Balearic Islands (except Ibiza and Formentera), Catalonia and the Valencian Community.

School closures in the Valencia region

The damage caused by the bad weather is such that schools in 20 municipalities in the south-east of the country will remain closed for the next week. The authorities of the Autonomous Community of Valencia are currently assessing what measures need to be taken to restore educational services as quickly as possible. The municipalities affected include Albal, Alfafar and Algemesí, as well as three districts of Valencia, reflecting the scale of the destruction affecting the region.