Spain closed schools and evacuated residents as heavy rains lashed the country Wednesday, two weeks after its worst floods in a generation killed more than 200 people.The rain also meant schools and universities closed across large parts of Valencia,

Spain’s catastrophic floods have left behind staggering devastation and despair. But the numbers associated with the tragedy can also help grasp the scope of the natural disaster.

Thousands of students in Spain's eastern Valencia region returned to classes on Monday, two weeks after floods killed over 200 people and devastated towns in the area. Controversy over the regional government's handling of the floods still rages,

Spain's national weather service issued renewed storm warnings for much of the country for Tuesday to Thursday, two weeks after rains and flash floods claimed more than 220 lives, most of them around the eastern city of Valencia.

Emergency workers continued the search for victims of last week’s flash floods, while a national debate raged over who was to blame for the catastrophe.

The flash floods were caused by heavy rain, which by Wednesday morning had begun "easing off," according to the country's meteorological agency.

Spain's national weather agency put parts of the eastern Valencia region under the highest alert level for rain on Wednesday, two weeks after floods killed more than 200 people there. National weather agency AEMET issued a red alert lasting until midday (1100 GMT) on Thursday for the Valencia coast,