At least 211 dead, areas still isolated after Spain’s worst natural disaster in recent history

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - At least 211 bodies have been recovered so far in what Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Saturday “the biggest natural disaster in Spain’s recent history.”

An intense storm system triggered devastating floods on Tuesday, hitting the province of Valencia the hardest. On Saturday, Sanchez acknowledged that some areas remain isolated, with homes and garages still blocked and dozens of people still missing.

“I am aware that the response is not enough. I know there are severe problems: basic services collapsed, municipalities covered in mud, people desperately seeking their loved ones, … we need to do better,” he said in a televised speech from Madrid.

Announcing that an additional 5,000 military personnel would be deployed by Sunday, Sanchez said this is the largest peacetime military deployment in the nation’s history.

The government is also deploying a large ship with housing units and medical facilities to the port of Valencia. It has already sent mobile morgues, humanitarian aid convoys, and personnel to restore basic services such as roads, electricity, and water. Around 10,000 national police officers will also be stationed in the area by Sunday.

According to Sanchez, state forces have rescued 4,800 people and assisted more than 30,000 in their homes.

“But the magnitude of the catastrophe renders these numbers insufficient. Help is taking a long time to reach where it is needed,” he added.

Meanwhile, thousands of volunteers have poured into the affected areas in recent days, bringing food, water, and shovels to help clear the mud. On Friday, the regional president of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, even controversially asked volunteers to go home because of their sheer numbers.

On Saturday, the regional government banned most travel around the affected region by car and set up a center to organize the thousands of volunteers.

For many of those affected, the shock of the floods has given way to anger.

The main criticisms focus on why the regional government waited until the flooding was already severe to issue an emergency alert to phones and why it is taking so long for aid to reach areas only kilometers from Valencia, one of Spain’s largest cities.

Amid widespread destruction, public frustration is mounting, with many criticizing local authorities for delayed emergency alerts and aid to nearby areas.

Some opposition politicians have questioned why the central government did not declare a state of emergency to streamline response efforts, while others pointed to potential lapses by Spain’s meteorological agency, despite the area being under red alert on Tuesday.

“There will be time to analyze mistakes, reflect on how to improve our response to such extreme situations, on the importance of public services, the need to respect scientific advisors, and the reality of climate change,” said Sanchez.

“But now we have to act as one united country. The only enemy is the destruction caused by this catastrophe, and we must be united because at risk are the lives of many citizens, the dignity of the dead, the prestige of our country, and the future of entire municipalities.”

Sanchez suggested that once all damage is assessed, this could rank as Europe’s worst flood this century.

Beyond the human tragedy, the infrastructure damage in the area is severe.

Rail lines, bridges, tunnels, parts of a major highway, and kilometers of roads have been destroyed. Mountains of cars and debris remain scattered across towns and the landscape. Industrial areas, shopping centers, and homes have also been devastated.​​​​​​​