The death toll in the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia has risen to 202 due to heavy rains and flooding, the regional authorities said on Friday.
"At the moment, according to preliminary data, the death toll stands at 202 people. The process of recovery and identification of victims is underway," the local emergency coordination said on X.
On Thursday, the death toll in Valencia rose to 155, media reported. The Spanish military department on emergency situations confirmed that it would join the rescue and relief efforts at 8:00 am local time (07:00 GMT) on Friday, the president of the Valencian government, Carlos Mazon, said.
Madrid also deployed an additional 250 military personnel to assist those affected by the flooding, thus raising the number of soldiers helping in wreckage removal to 2,000, the Spanish Defense Ministry said.
Meanwhile, more than 50 people, including several minors, have been arrested in Valencia for stealing, robberies, and looting, a local newspaper reported.
At least four of them, who were detained while looting the Bonaire shopping mall in Valencia, have already been put behind bars by a court order, the report said. On Thursday, five men aged 24 to 41 were arrested in the Aldaia municipality over stealing more than 80 pieces of jewelry worth over 30,000 euros ($32,500) in a jewelry store in Bonaire, the newspaper also reported, citing the police.
Earlier, the Spanish government declared a three-day mourning for the victims, Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres said, adding that the mourning would last from October 31 to November 2 and that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has transferred the corresponding decree to King Felipe VI.