Spain floods: 2,000 missing in 'nation's worst disaster in history' as death toll rises above 200

Spain has ramped up its response to the devastating floods in the Valencia region by dispatching an additional 500 soldiers, as the death toll rises above 200.

This brings the number of deployed troops to around 1,700 as they engage in search and rescue tasks amidst what is being called the country's "worst disaster", the Mirror reports. The death toll climbed to 205 on Friday (November 1), but is expected to continue to rise as many more are believed to be missing.

Spanish emergency authorities said 202 of the victims were in the eastern region of Valencia. It is feared more than 2,000 people are still missing, their whereabouts unknown.

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A total of around 1,700 soldiers are now working on search and rescue operations in the region, but sadly the hope of finding more survivors seems to be fading. One of the main tasks of troops has been pumping water out of underground tunnels and car parks, as there are fears people were trapped there during flash floods.

But as rescue operations continue, further weather warnings have been issued, covering northeastern and southern Spain, as well as the Balearic Islands. The warnings are expected to stay in place until at least Sunday, with residents worried about the possibility of further flooding and the fact this might make ongoing response efforts more challenging.

Authorities in Valencia announced that traffic in the metropolitan area would be limited throughout the weekend to maintain open routes for emergency services and facilitate essential services such as electricity, food and water to the affected areas. Guardia Civil has rescued more than 4,500 people trapped by the floods, said