Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday ordered 10,000 troops and police to be sent to the region around Valencia where floods have left at least 211 dead and dozens missing.
Sanchez emerged from a crisis committee meeting with several top cabinet ministers to announce the move after updating the death toll from 205 to 211.
He said 5,000 soldiers as well as 5,000 police officers and civil guards would head to the east of the country after more than a year's worth of rain fell during eight hours on Tuesday.
Rescuers say hopes of finding survivors are slim.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska on Friday told Cadena Ser radio station that it was reasonable to believe more fatalities would emerge.
Criticism
Authorities have come under fire over the adequacy of warning systems before the floods. Some residents have also complained that they have been left stranded.
"I am aware the response is not enough," said Sanchez in a televised address to the nation. "There are problems and severe shortages. Towns have been buried by mud and people have been searching for relatives.
Authorities in Valencia have restricted access to roads for two days to give the emergency services unimpeded carriageways to carry out search, rescue and logistics operations more effectively.
Solidarity
Susana Camarero, deputy head of the Valencia region, said town council chiefs within the province had been overwhelmed by the amount of solidarity and offers of food they had received for survivors.
On Friday morning, Spanish football authorities said games taking place this weekend would publicise a Red Cross fundraising campaign over the public address systems.
"Spain's professional football joins the condolences and expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims and the missing," La Liga said in a statement.
Real Madrid, which came under fire for poor sportsmanship for boycotting the Ballon d'Or award ceremony in Paris on Monday night, announced it would offer one million euros to the Red Cross.
"Real Madrid has decided to support this campaign to help the many families who are in a critical situation and need all our help and solidarity," Madrid said in a statement.
Effort
Games scheduled for the eastern region this weekend have been rescheduled including the clash between Valencia and Real Madrid after Valencia transformed their Mestalla stadium into a drop-off point for donations of food and other essential items.
At matches that do go ahead, fans will be asked to observe a minute's silence before kick-off as a tribute to the dead and the victims, La Liga said.
On Friday afternoon, MotoGP supremos said they would cancel the season-ending race at the Valencia circuit and find another venue.
As riders prepared on Thursday for this weekend's penultimate race in Malaysia, organisers initially insisted that the finale between 15 and 17 November in Valencia would proceed.
But after several riders – including the championship leader Jorge Martin – questioned the ethics of holding the event, MotoGP bosses altered their stance.
"We have been in constant contact with the local authorities and the circuit to best assess how we can help and how we should proceed," said MotoGP in a statement.
"We have a responsibility to every region where we race that goes far beyond the sport and the events.
"In lieu of racing in Valencia, MotoGP will instead race for Valencia. The championship will put our collective efforts behind backing the relief funds already in place to ensure our positive impact can connect with the area in the way it best serves the people and communities we have been part of for so long."
