Spain mounts biggest peacetime disaster recovery after devastating floods - as King writes to counterpart

The King and Queen have said they are "utterly heartbroken" by the loss of life in Spain, where the number of people killed by floods has reached at least 211.

King Charles wrote to Spain's King Felipe offering his condolences for the "tragic loss of so many lives" following what has been described as Spain's worst flood-related disaster in over half a century.

"My wife and I were utterly heartbroken to learn of the destruction and devastation following the catastrophic flooding in southern and eastern Spain," he wrote.

"So many in the United Kingdom have strong, personal ties to Spain, and our nations are bound by so much that we have in common."

He said his and the Queen's "deepest possible sympathy are with all those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods this terrible week".

Follow live updates: Tragedy exposes 'criminal negligence'

Most of the deaths from the floods that hit Spain on Tuesday and Wednesday were reported in Valencia, the worst-hit region, but the number of dead is expected to rise as an unknown number of people remain missing.

Interior minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told Spanish radio station Cadena SER: "It is reasonable to think that we will have more deaths."

Emergency services have received calls from the relatives of 1,900 people who cannot be found, he said, but "that is mostly due to communication failures".

Thousands of people were left without power and phone lines following the floods, but Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in his latest address on Saturday morning that power had been restored for most homes and about half of the phone lines had been reconnected.

He said the number of dead is now 211 people.

Mr Sanchez added that 4,800 rescues had happened over the past three days and that a commission for rebuilding would be set up and an appeal for help had been sent to the EU.

More than 2,000 soldiers have been deployed to help find missing people and support survivors, with 5,000 more being sent to Valencia, Mr Sánchez said. A further 5,000 police officers will also be sent to the region.

In some of the worst-hit areas, people have resorted to looting because they have no food or water. Police said on
Friday that 27 people had been arrested for robbing shops and offices in the Valencia area.

Read more:
'Living with corpses at home'
Why flooding in Spain has been so deadly

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Faced with huge clean-up efforts, residents have been supported by volunteers - more than 100,000 have signed up to help, according to the Valencian Community Volunteer Platform.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer commented on the disaster on X, writing: "My thoughts are with those who have lost their lives, their families and all those affected by the devastation caused by the extreme flooding in Spain.

"The UK stands with Spain during this difficult time."

The storm, considered the deadliest to hit Europe since the 1970s, triggered a new weather alert in the Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, where rains were expected to continue ove the weekend.