On October 29th, rainfall began on the Eastern coast of Spain. Valencia began to rapidly fill up with water, a severe flood that would soon make its way further north in the region, and cause over 200 deaths, bringing devastation to the entire community.
Labelled as DANA, the Valencian flooding is the worst that Europe has seen since the 1967 floods in Portugal where over 500 people died. The current death toll in the Valencia region is just over 200, however, it is expected to rise as emergency services lose hope in finding survivors in place of recovering bodies.
There are mixed opinions about whether this unfortunate outcome could have been avoided or at the very least minimised if the Valencian or Spanish government had acted quicker.
Valencia has an autonomous government led by Carlos Mazón, who some say is the main man at fault for the management of the crisis. Meteorologists began sending warnings to the Valencian government about the storm on the 25th of October, saying it would most likely land on Tuesday the 29th of October. It was at 8pm on this Tuesday that Mazón decided to send the emergency text alert after he had spent his day receiving awards for tourism and posing for photographs. Meanwhile, Valencia had already started flooding, meaning that many were already trapped when they received the emergency alert. The rate at which Mazón took action meant that the military deployment was delayed, and many deaths occurred that could have potentially been prevented.
The people of Valencia are rightfully angry. They have lost family, friends, pets, houses, cars and much more. However, I am in awe of how they haven’t lost hope. El poble salva al poble is Valencian for ‘the town saves the town’ and it has become a type of mantra for the Valencianos, referring to how when their government has failed them, they will pick each other up. People have been travelling from throughout the region, and some from other parts of Spain, to volunteer their help in the most affected areas in the region, such as Paiporta.
The Valencians have been cleaning strangers’ homes and brushing the flood water out their doors. Agricultural workers have come with their tractors to clear away rubble and help unblock car pile-ups. Restaurants and other food businesses have been donating food and water in bulk to badly affected areas. Communities have been coming together to restock destroyed school supplies. People are coming together and embracing strangers. The disaster is devastating, but it has joined together a community and shown just how incredible Valencian pride is.
Raul Clyde, a musician, has uploaded a song about the situation, explaining how when they have nobody else, the town is saving the town. This is the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE1qeLlqXrk
There is a link to donate below the video too.
As the storm moves more north towards Cataluña, it is now time for us to do our bit. There are various ways in which you can help those affected by the DANA, and they are as follows;
• Donate! There are some charities currently helping the situation such as the Red Cross, in addition to GoFundMe’s being set up to help those affected. For St Andrews students; the Spanish Society has done a bake sale to raise money for Valencia, and they will be able to point you in the direction of good local Spanish charities helping the cause.
• Spread awareness – post on your social media about what is happening, and share articles to your Instagram stories. Not enough people are aware of the current situation. The more people that know about it, the more support Valencia can receive.
• Check in with your friends and family affected by it. There are plenty of students here in St Andrews who will be affected by the floods, whether they have friends or family there in the midst of it, or whether they used to live there. Ask them how they are doing. Additionally, if you yourself have any friends out there, show them your support.
• Do your bit for the environment. Ultimately, the extreme weather itself has been caused by the effects of climate change. We need to all come together to combat climate change otherwise these types of events will only continue to happen.
It has been incredibly difficult seeing the places and people that I love being so badly affected by the DANA, but I cannot fathom what it is like to currently be there. My heart goes out to all the Valencianos and those who are now being affected in Cataluña. Your display of strength and pride for your region throughout this catastrophe is nothing short of incredible and admirable.