The King and Queen said they were “heartbroken” by the loss of life in Spain, where the death toll from floods has risen to at least 211.

King Charles has written to King Felipe of Spain, offering his condolences for the “tragic loss of so many lives” in what has been described as Spain’s worst flood-related disaster in more than half a century.

“My wife and I have been completely devastated to learn of the destruction and devastation following the catastrophic floods in southern and eastern Spain,” he wrote.

“So many in the UK have strong, personal links with Spain and our nations are linked by so much we have in common.”

He said his and the Queen’s “deepest possible sympathies go out to all those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods in 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 death toll 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 relatives of 1,900 people who cannot be found, he said, but “this is largely down to communication breakdowns”.

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

He said the death toll now stands at 211.

Mr Sanchez added that 4,800 rescues had taken place in the past three days and that a reconstruction commission would be set up and an appeal for EU aid had been sent.

More than 2,000 soldiers have been sent to help find missing people and support survivors, with another 5,000 sent to Valencia, Mr Sánchez said. Another 5,000 police officers will be sent to the region.

In some of the worst affected areas, people have resorted to looting because they have no food or water. Police said further
On Friday, 27 people were arrested for looting shops and offices in the Valencia area.

Read more:
“Living with corpses at home”
Why the floods in Spain were 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 Community Volunteering Platform of Valencia.

British 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 at 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 rain was expected to continue over the weekend.