About 1,000 soldiers from emergency response units deployed to the affected areas, and the death toll was expected to rise after one of the worst natural disasters to hit the country in recent years.

Scientists long warned Spanish and EU authorities of the need to protect Valencia from floods, but masses of people received no warning until walls of water broke over their homes and workplaces.

At least 218 people have been confirmed dead after a deluge caused by heavy rains late on Oct. 29 and the next morning swamped entire communities.

Spain on Tuesday announced an aid package worth 10.6 billion euros ($11.5 billion) to rebuild regions devastated by its worst floods in a generation that have killed 218 people.

Spain is to distribute €10.6 billion ($11.5 billion) in aid to those affected by the devastating flash floods that killed more than 200 people and wreaked havoc in the country's east last week, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Tuesday.

One week after catastrophic flooding devasted eastern Spain, María Murgui still holds out hope that her father is alive and among the missing. He went out to save his motorbike