Residents of towns devastated by DANA In Valence They are clear: the words most heard these days are “thank you” and “we need help”. More than 200 people have lost their lives and nearly 80 are still missing, as residents try to survive amid a scene of utter destruction.
Wherever you look, there is only mud, overturned cars, debris And volunteers. DANA left each city virtually the same as its neighbor, with destroyed playgrounds, flooded garages and the streets covered in mud. The neighbors, resigned, took their most intimate objects, now riddled with dirt, into the street, as if it were a “mud museum”, to throw them in improvised dumps where retired cars also accumulate.
In Paiporta, Picaña, Catarroja, Sedavi, Alfafar, Massanasa and other cities, mud has invaded every corner. Walking through the rubble, we can distinguish the footsteps of volunteers and rescuers in a land that seems to never be able to return to the way it was until October 29.
Since they started floodsmany people were unable to leave their homes, either because of their advanced age or because their entrances were blocked by vehicles swept away by the floodwaters. The wait for water, food and medicine managed by volunteers was long and difficult, but it awakened a comforting spirit of solidarity in the midst of so much chaos.
For the residents of these towns, life has completely changed. Adapt to this new normal It’s the only option. Each day begins with katiuskas standing so they can cross the flooded streets and reach community help or search for food. The smells, intensified by the accumulated mud and rubbish, have become daily occurrences, as have the piles of rubble in front of homes and businesses.
Some have lost everything; Their homes were submerged under more than two and a half meters of water or completely destroyed by mud. For these neighbors, the luxury now is to have food at their doorstep, since some no longer even have housing. Masks cover faces again, no longer because of a pandemic, but to protect against infections generated by stagnant water and mud.
The disaster attracted thousands of volunteers from all over Spain. In devastated cities, the question “do you need help?” is heard again and again. Although it sounds simple, to those who listen to it, it means the world. Are helping hand who arrive loaded with provisions, shovels, rakes and energy to try to bring normality to the neighbors.
From the beginning, help has not come only from citizens. Firefighters, police, rescuers and emergency services They were deployed to the worst affected areas, working around the clock to clear debris and ensure residents had minimal basic resources.
The situation in the Poyo Ravine This is particularly devastating. This ravine, which crosses several of the most affected municipalities, has become the epicenter of the tragedy. Here, rescue teams, including canine guidesworked tirelessly to find people trapped in their vehicles, some buried in mud with only one wheel visible. With shovels, hoes and chainsaws, rescuers cleared the path meter by meter, faced with the tension of not knowing whether a stuck car has any hope of life or a story already over.
He ravinewhich turned into a furious torrent of mud, water and trees, destroying everything in its path. Images of total destruction and uncertainty still mark the work of actors in the region.
Despite the pain and destruction, a message of strength and unity rises amidst the despair. The streets covered in mud and debris have also seen the creation of a network of solidarity between neighbors, volunteers and emergency services. In the midst of one of Spain’s biggest disasters, every gesture counts and every outstretched hand reminds those affected that they are not alone.
This collective effort clearly shows that even in the darkest of times, people find a way to come together and move forward. Even if the mud covers everything, beneath this layer remains the hope of rebuilding what was lost and moving forward together.
