The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Valencia, Spain, has reached 217, officials announced Sunday, as the search for survivors -- and bodies -- continued in devastated cities and towns left caked in mud and strewn with debris.

By David Latona and Charlie Devereux ALFAFAR, Spain (Reuters) -Spanish rescuers opened a temporary morgue in a convention centre and battled to reach areas still cut off on Friday as the death toll from catastrophic floods rose to 205 people in Europe's worst weather disaster in five decades.