Spain deploys 5,000 troops as death toll from floods reaches 211
1. Spain's floods are worst European flood disaster since 1967 when at least 500 people died in Portugal
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has ordered an additional 5,000 troops to assist in the response to the devastating floods that ravaged parts of the country this week, claiming at least 211 lives across the eastern, southern, and central regions.
Following a meeting with the flood crisis committee, Sanchez emphasized that the government is mobilizing all available resources to address the "terrible tragedy," with the region of Valencia suffering the worst impact, according to *The Guardian*.
Sanchez acknowledged delays in getting aid to those in need, likely due to impassable, mud-covered roads, and urged people to set aside “political bickering” and come together. “There are still dozens of people looking for their loved ones and hundreds of households mourning the loss of a relative, a friend, or a neighbor,” he said in an address to the nation.
This week’s floods in Spain mark Europe’s deadliest flood disaster since 1967, when at least 500 people perished in Portugal. Given the severity, Sanchez highlighted that Spain is now seeing “the largest deployment of armed forces and police personnel ever during peacetime.” So far, rescue operations have saved 4,800 people and assisted over 30,000 individuals stranded in their homes, on roads, and in flooded industrial areas.
Despite these efforts, access issues have slowed aid delivery, prompting the deployment of more troops to accelerate rescue and relief efforts.
In his national address, Sanchez praised the thousands of volunteers who gathered at Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences, which has become a central hub for clean-up operations. The large turnout, however, temporarily restricted emergency workers' access to some areas, leading authorities to implement a structured deployment plan to coordinate the response.
