5,000 additional troops deployed in Spain as total deaths rise to 211

As many as 5,000 additional troops have been deployed by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to deal with the aftermath of the catastrophic floods that swept the country this week, killing at least 211 people in the east, south and central regions. 

Speaking after presiding over a meeting of the flood crisis committee, Sanchez said the government was utilising all resources to recover from the "terrible tragedy" of the floods that majorly affected Valencia, according to The Guardian. 

The PM also conveyed that the people in need are not receiving the aid — possibly due to the flooded and muddy roads — urging people to work with unity and put behind "political bickering" and blame games. 

“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 neighbour,” Sanchez said in an address.

The floods that struck Spain this week are Europe's worst flood disaster since 1967 when at least 500 people died in Portugal due to the natural catastrophe.

Due to the high stakes of the doom that has fallen on Spain, Sanchez said the country witnessed “the largest deployment of armed forces and police personnel that's ever been seen in our country during peacetime. It has so far carried out 4,800 rescues and helped more than 30,000 people in their homes, on the roads, and in flooded industrial estates".

Still, help was not getting to the people in need and was taking too long to reach due to blocked roads and that is why the Spanish government ordered a deployment of 5,000 troops for rescue and aid operations.

Sanchez's address to the country came as thousands of volunteers showed up at Valenica's City of Arts and Sciences centre, which was transformed into the main point of the clean-up operation of the affected areas.

The volunteers came out to help but nonetheless, the mass arrival hindered the access for emergency workers to some areas, prompting a deployment plan from the authorities.