In Chiva “we can do nothing but help each other”
Estrella Carrión, 58 years old, has always lived in Chiva. And before her, her parents, her grandparents, her great-grandparents occupied the beautiful house near the church. For more than two hundred years, he thinks. With views of the “rooster ravine”this almost invisible stream that transformed into a gigantic wave when torrential rains fell on the city. More than 40 centimeters of water in a few hours. The view is still there, half of the house was washed away by the flood. Three pieces torn off. The family was able to take refuge upstairs. Not the dog, carried away by the fury of the water.
The city council’s architects arrived a little early: the house is no longer habitable. “We will no longer live here”laments the mother, hosted by friends in the town. The inhabitants cling to this impressive solidarity to get something positive out of this natural and human catastrophe, without comparison with the previous flood, in 1982. The neighbors, the neighbors of the neighbors, those above, those below, offered their arms to clean the mud. Estrella’s children went to help other victims. The farmers of the commune came with their tractors to bring basins of water and left, in an incessant torrent, with the remains of the destroyed houses: children’s toys, clothes, books, furniture.
Many young people tirelessly remove water from their homes with shovels and brooms. Construction companies brought their equipment. The Civil Guard and emergency services are not lacking, but the people have taken charge alone, each contributing what they can, instead of waiting for help that did not seem to arrive. “There’s nothing we can do but help each other.”summarizes Estrella Carrión.
