Madrid: As the death toll passed 200 from floods this week that triggered the deadliest natural disaster in Spain's recent history, southern regions were battered by more heavy downfalls Friday, complicating an already strained rescue effort.
Valencia, the region that suffered the worst of the deluge, recorded 202 deaths, regional President Carlos Mazón said at a news conference.
Three more people have died in neighboring regions, bringing the total of confirmed deaths to 205, according to authorities. That toll was expected to rise as rescue workers continued to dig through sodden towns clogged with mud and debris.
Late Thursday and Friday, rains spread to other southern regions. Heavy rain fell overnight in Andalusia, with the western province of Huelva the worst hit. Residents were out celebrating Halloween when sheets of rain began to fall, local news media reported. Authorities urged people to stay home and avoid celebrating All Saints Day on Friday, warning of the risk of flooding.
While the southwest was on high alert, along the east coast rescue workers were still searching through piles of cars flung by floodwater and homes ripped through by mud. Rain continued Friday, particularly in Castellón, north of the Valencia region; in Tarragona, in the southern Catalonia region; and on the Balearic Islands, off Spain's east coast.
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In Valencia, dozens of people were still missing. Among them were prominent business executives, older parents in nursing homes and young children trapped with their mothers, according to coverage in Spanish media.
In the wake of the huge damage suffered in Valencia, some residents have begun to blame the government for an insufficient response to the disaster.
The natural disaster has also become a political test for Spain's fragile coalition government. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Friday was scheduled to visit the national meteorological society's office in Madrid. Observers called it a show of solidarity for the agency, which has faced criticism from political leaders who said its warnings came too late.
Along with hundreds of officers from the national police, civil guard and other security forces, the military sent 750 soldiers to join the rescue effort, Spain's Defense Ministry said.
—International New York Times