A family of four memberscomposed of Santiago Álvarez, Xenia Guisado and their two children Laia and Ángelwas found alive Catarroja (Valencia) this Tuesday, after staying missing for over a week due to heavy rains caused by DANA.
Santiago, originally from Pamplonaand his family had lost all contact with their loved ones after the storm surprised them and left them incommunicado.
The family was located thanks to social media post of Juan Hidalgocousin of one of the parents, who shared photos of his relatives on his Instagram account in the hope of obtaining clues to their whereabouts.
Its publication caught the attention of the networks, and finally a user recognized the family when he saw them looking for food in Catarroja. This person put the family in contact with their cousin, which ultimately led to the location of the missing people.
Hidalgo explained to Valencian public television that the family, although exhausted, is safe and sound. “All four are fine. We went from climbing walls to absolute joyhe said enthusiastically, expressing relief after days of uncertainty. As he explained, the relatives disappeared on Tuesday last week, when the car in which they were traveling was caught by the heavy rains of DANA.
When the storm started, the family decided abandon the vehicle and take refuge in an acquaintance’s house in Catarroja. According to Hidalgo, this friend was the key to his survival: “Thanks to him they were able to save themselveshe said, deeply grateful for the support provided during these critical days. However, by leaving their cellphones in the car, which was later washed away by floods, the family lost all forms of communication, leaving them isolated in an area without electricity, water or telephone line due to the effects of DANA.
THE mother of missing womana reported that his last contact was a message in which his daughter informed him that she was going to buy. After that, the family stopped giving signs, thus increasing the anxiety of the loved ones. For eight days, the poor conditions caused by DANA made it impossible to communicate or safely leave the house where they were staying.
THE DANA which affected the Valencian Community left a trail of devastation in several localities, notably in the province of Valencia. So far, authorities have counted more than 200 dead and at least 89 missing. Heavy rains and flooding caused flooding that isolated many areas, destroying homes, roads and vehicles.
This family’s case had a happy outcome, but highlights the devastating impact the storm left on the area and the importance of rSocial networks as a tool in emergency situations.
