The terrible consequences of the passage of DANAare reflected in the number of regions in which it is present. Ground Zero is the epicenter of the storm, the climax of the disaster. However, some cities seem to have fallen into oblivion. Paiporta, Benetússer, Massanassa, Alfafar, Sedavi…, are among the most affected, those who need the most help and the most visible. While the images and videos Devastated towns are covered in the media and on social networks, some small towns remain in the shadow of the media coverage. Far from focus, What is happening to these cities?
The damage caused by water, mud and everything else that was carried in its path did not of course have the same impact everywhere. Institutional aid, for its part, arrived as the neighbors say: “Late”. However, social solidarity has broken with political thoughts, ethnicities, orientations, borders…mobilizing a stream of volunteers who travel to affected areas to help in whatever way they can. Residents, along with volunteers, were the main driving force in pulling Valencia out of the disaster, especially in towns where heavy machinery and specialized organizations were rare. or they continue to do it.
Nine days after the cataclysm, The progress is notable. The streets are increasingly passable at ground zero, where a parade of prepared vehicles has accelerated the rehabilitation and cleaning work; although there is still a lot of work to be done. Other cities “less affected” They were unable to receive this type of help because their neighbors demanded it more urgently. Some residents of these neighborhoods prefer to see things on the positive side: “We managed as best we could.”.
Picanya’s neighbor removes debris.
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Forgotten cities?
A few kilometers from ground zero, some municipalities were also damaged by torrential rains, some 70 approximately without counting the main ones. Although it is not the dystopia that “apocalypse zone”Without the corresponding support, many will experience a delayed recovery, if they have not already done so.
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In the streets of Beniparrella town just seven kilometers from Paiporta, you can see the signs left by the DANA“But we are fine now,” says a neighbor. “It is obviously not the catastrophe of Ground Zero, but 95% of the city was affected,” explains its mayor, Voro Masaroca. More than a week after the heavy waters, the city seems to be returning to normal. There isn’t much rubble or mud, but everything has an explanation: “We built the whole city ourselves”.
The machinery who cleaned his streets was hired and managed From the town hall, all the rubble and muddy stuff are already in the landfill, and are now waiting for the streets to be washed for almost complete recovery. The situation is very different in polygons. Beniparrell is a town of only 2,000 inhabitantsbut it is surrounded by five areas of activity. In these regions, the roads are still impassable, the mud is almost knee-deep and THE the devastation is quite considerable.
Volunteers help in the Raval neighborhood of Algemesí
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“We don’t have access to it because there are no machines”Masaroca said. Nine days after the storm, this Thursday was the first time that receives military aid. Three trucks, accompanied by a platoon of soldiers, began to circulate in this industrial zone; there are four more left. “We still need more vehicles, more than three thousand people from outside the city come to work in these industrial zones and we have no way to open them.
A little further down are the municipalities of Picassent, Silla and Alcàsser which, as the inhabitants expressed: “They were saved”. At his side are Almussafes And Benifaiothat if it seems that nothing has happened in its streets, its industrial zone can complain; less than Beniparrell, and much less than Ground Zero.
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The disaster of Algemesí and Albal
Floods They destroyed homes, businesses and everything in their path, damage that required repairs; but solutions come in trickles or not at all. Something similar happened in these cities. Algemesiquite far from the zero point, could be another of the centers of impact in which the tormenta had more impact.
The city located in terrible conditionscontinues his convalescence. Its muddy streets are not as crowded with volunteers or emergency forces as in the worst-hit neighborhoods, even though their condition is the same or worse; except Paiporta. Just because they’re not so abundant doesn’t mean they’re non-existent. “We come from Alicante to collaborate,” say some young people. In fact, one of the residents says that in Algemesí they want to build a monument of gratitude to the volunteers.“They saved the city”strong points.
Excavator in the industrial zone of Beniparrell.
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Algemesí neighbors collect debris nine days after storm.
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The presence military and special forces We also see, only that they are distributed in the main collection center, at access points and on the most affected roads. The majority of the city is occupied by residents trying to return to normal life, by altruistic volunteers, and by corporate and private vehicles removing wrecked cars and a multitude of trash. “The military presence is rather weak, there are four of them,” explains Vicente, a resident of the neighborhood.
Unlike Algemesí, Alba Yes, it is located at point zero, among others like Picanya; It’s just that not many of them are shown. Just five kilometers from Paiporta, Albal becomes his little brother. Not because of the proximity, but rather because of the dark and devastated conditions in which he finds himself. “Two days ago it looked like a cemetery”underlines a resident of the neighborhood.
Completely demolished houses, streets that have not yet begun to be cleaned, layers and layers of mud, hot water up to their knees, this is the reality its population is facing more than a week after the DANA. The prospects are serious, organization is not one of Albal’s strong points, but circumstances demand it. The collection and refueling points, more than small houses and attention posts, are boxes placed on the mud that trucks bring in from outside. In turn, they managed to create a missing persons center, as many residents are missing. Specialized forces begin to arrive, even if it’s quite lateAlbal’s neighbors They are already used to the side and the destruction.
Store destroyed by DANA.
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Municipalities like Alcudiawere hit by torrential rains. The scourge, although to a lesser extent, has left traces in their citizens and their walks. Nine days after the storm, its avenues and sidewalks are perfectly passable, and all thanks to its citizens. “The first few days things were bad, but there are plenty of people here with tractors who could clean up, it’s not that we didn’t need help, it’s that we were on our own “, he declares. Andrewa young man from there.
The scale and power of the DANA It has been exuberant. Unfortunately, some cities were clearly losers, but up to 75 municipalities are affected. Responses to disaster must take into account the reality of each community. The populations beyond Ground Zero also have their own voice, although it doesn’t sound as much as it does: “We still need help”.
