The death toll from record flash floods in Spain rose to at least 205 people on Friday, with many more presumed missing, as initial shock gave way to rage, fury, and a sense of unity.
Spanish emergency services reported that 202 of the casualties were in the Valencia region alone, and officials warned that additional rain was likely in the coming days.
Storm-related damage Tuesday and Wednesday resembled the aftermath of a tsunami, with survivors forced to pick up the pieces while mourning loved ones killed in Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory. Many roadways were blocked by piled-up vehicles and debris, confining families in their houses. Some areas still lack electricity, running water, and reliable telephone connections. “The situation is unbelievable.” “It’s a disaster, and there is very little help,” said Emilio Cuartero, a Masanasa resident on Valencia’s outskirts. “We need machinery and cranes to access the areas. We need a lot of support. “And bread and water.” In Chiva, locals were busy Friday removing debris from the mud-filled street.
Residents of Paiporta, where at least 62 people died, and Catarroja have been walking kilometres (miles) in sticky mud to Valencia to get supplies, passing neighbours from unaffected areas who are bringing water, essential products, and shovels or brooms to help remove the mud. The number of people coming to help is so high that the authorities have asked them not to drive there because it blocks the road
Meanwhile, flood survivors and volunteers are working together to clean a thick layer of muck that has accumulated. The storm disrupted electricity and water services on Tuesday night, but approximately 85% of the 155,000 impacted customers had their power restored by Friday, according to a utility statement.




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