Authorities in Valencia have set up a huge temporary morgue with spaces for up to 400 bodies as the death toll from the recent devastating floods continues to rise.
The torrential downpours have affected large areas around Valencia, leaving widespread destruction and many people missing.
The death toll currently stands at 215, with 211 fatalities reported in the Valencian Community, three in Castilla-La Mancha and one in Malaga, according to the Spanish authorities.
And, with bodies still being recovered, officials fear the toll could rise significantly.
The Military Emergency Unit (UME), which set up the morgue, said this measure was necessary given the scale of the tragedy.
Javier Marcos, the Head General of the UME, said: “We are doing everything we can.”
He added: “Our soldiers are giving their all, working in a chaotic situation with terrible destruction of infrastructure.”
Marcos also described the situation as overwhelming. He explained: “The degree of destruction is such that mobility is limited. It is so complex that it requires two things: discipline and patience.”
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska confirmed that authorities would release an official count of missing persons “in the next few days.”
Speaking to La Sexta TV, he said: “We are cross-checking every report to give an accurate figure.”
He also stressed that identifying the victims has been complicated due to the condition of the bodies.
Around 10,000 officers from the National Police and Civil Guard have been deployed to help with recovery and security in the hardest-hit areas.
Marlaska warned that “the weight of the law will be very strict” on those causing public disorder, with over 140 people already arrested for looting.
Meanwhile, government delegate Pilar Bernabé said the search efforts were shifting to riverbeds, basements and underground garages.
He said: “We are now in the next phase, which is the entry into watercourses and underground spaces.”
The Institute of Legal Medicine in Valencia has so far performed 190 autopsies, identifying 111 victims.
Nonetheless, the Data Integration Centre (CID), established to coordinate the emergency response, reported that some bodies still remain unidentified.
The Spanish government has pledged full support for Valencia and other affected areas.
Grande-Marlaska also assured the public that all necessary resources would be provided to help restore some sort of normality.