Spanish rescuers opened a temporary morgue in a convention centre and battled to reach cut-off areas on Friday after catastrophic floods killed at least 158 people in the worst weather disaster to hit the country in modern history.

VALENCIA/GODELLETA, Spain (Reuters) -The death toll from devastating flash floods in eastern Spain climbed to 158 on Thursday, with rescue teams still searching for those missing in what could become Europe's worst storm-related disaster in over five decades.

The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Valencia, Spain, has reached 211 as the search for survivors -- and bodies -- continued in devastated cities and towns.