A 54-year-old Romanian woman who slept in a public park in Gandia was found dead this morning by municipal services, apparently due to hypothermia, which makes her the first fatality of the Storm Gloria in the Valencian Community.

Municipal sources said that the woman slept in the park of l’Estació with her husband for a long time and both had refused to go to social units.

The City Council had asked the judge for an order to section them and take them to a shelter, as neither of them would agree going to social services.

This Sunday, about seven o’clock in the evening and before the ferocity of the storm reached the area, they were urged to go to a social care centre and, once again they refused. However they were left with food and blankets.

However, the woman was found dead this morning, allegedly due to hypothermia although she also had previous health problems, according to the City Council, who added that it will be an autopsy that determines the cause of her death.

Late last night the storm also caused the death of a man who was hit by a vehicle in Asturias due to snow.