Spain: Grief for the Dead and Concern for the Missing in Valencia Floods · Global Voices

The residents of Valencia areas in , have been affected by the killings of which at least 158 people died. Spanish residents of the surrounding regions of Valencia described the nightmare they have been experiencing in recent hours due to the bad weather DANA that “beats” mercilessly in eastern Spain. “We felt comfortable because he was simply blowing, without signs of rain”, described 18-year-old Alfonso De Juan. “Some friends from Massanasha told me to go inside my house because flooding was coming,” he adds. “I was coming back from work at 8:30 p.m. and I barely had time to close the door,” says 45-year-old resident Jeovany Moreto, who said water was flooding the road, dragging parked cars and crashing them with garages and commercial properties. Moreto was booked with his son in the garage, but as the water quickly rose to midway, they called for help from a neighbor on the second floor, who safely posted them to the terrace. This painful experience was a common story for many locals, who shared that they had to spend the night in strange homes because it was impossible to return to their own. Floods flooded the streets of both cities by 4:00 in the morning of Wednesday (30.10.2024), simultaneously causing power and drinking water to be shut down. It was seven hours of total chaos. Many residents were found trapped in their vehicles or commercial facilities. De Juan attended as several residents flew ropes from their balconies to save those who had managed to climb their cars or cling to lanterns to avoid drifting off the stream. “I know at least 30 people who were close to death last night,” he said. In another region of Valencia, in Paiporta, where dozens of people were killed in the sudden floods, shops, homes and businesses have been destroyed. A pharmacist working in the area, Miguel Guerrilla reported: “We all know someone who died. It’s a nightmare. ” Maribel Albalat, mayor of Piporta, said the authorities warned them of imminent flood risk. According to her, 62 people died in her city. “We found many elderly people in their homes and people who had gone to pick up their cars. They were trapped,” she told TVE herself. In Contegeta, a town 37 km west of the city of Valencia, Antonio Molina, aged 52, described how he survived the flood on Tuesday night, holding a pillar tight on the porch of a neighbor’s house and while the water had reached the height of his neck, until the heavy rainfall was cut. His dog was later found alive, swimming in the water, while his wife and son were saved on the highest floor of their home. Molina’s residence had already been faced with two major floods, in 2018 and 2020 and the 52-year-old Spaniard blames the authorities that allowed building buildings in areas where water is concentrated. “We don’t want to live here anymore,” he said, unable to hold back his tears. “As soon as a few drops of rain fall, we check our cell phones”. About 80 km of roads in the eastern region have suffered serious disasters or are now inaccessible, said Transport Minister Oscar Puente. Many have been excluded from abandoned cars. “Unfortunately there are bodies in some vehicles,” Puente told reporters, adding that it will take two to three weeks to restore the connection between Valencia and Madrid. Visiting a coordinating center of rescue operations near the city of Valencia, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged citizens to stay in their homes, due to the threat of new storms. “At the moment the most important thing is to protect as many lives as possible,” he told reporters. In the city of Utiel, the Magro River overflowed, resulting in water 3 meters high to sweep the ground floor single-houses. Pope Francis said he’s praying for people in the area. “I am near them at this moment of destruction,” he noted in a video he uploaded to H. Unfortunately, not all were “lucky” and failed to save themselves. An 18-year-old resident from Alphafar died after trying to abandon her business. Water power prevented her from leaving to seek help. Locals found her at the facility as soon as the water level subsided. Overall, the storm resulted in at least 158 deaths across Spain, while hundreds are still missing, including children and even a few months of baby.