Death toll of storm Gloria climbs to 9 in Spain

Nine people have been confirmed dead in storm Gloria which has affected eastern and northern parts of Spain for the past five days, Spanish State TV network RTVE reported on Thursday morning.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has confirmed that he would visit the affected areas after the number of victims rose.

There are also four people reportedly missing as a result of the storm, with three in the Balearic Islands and one in the Catalan town of Palamos.

Thursday morning saw flood waters cut the AVE high-speed railway link between northeast Spain and France while 45 roads remain closed in the region.

Amid the storm, Balearic Islands have received the average rainfall for the entire month of January in just three days, while satellite photos show that the delta of the River Ebro, which is an important sight for wildlife and biodiversity, is almost entirely under water.

Residents of the city of Malaga woke up to see their city covered in a blanket of white after a ferocious hailstorm, which has blocked the city streets.