Valencian society organized itself to help those affected by the storm in the Valencian regions due to the lack of coordination from the Generalitat Valenciana. Thousands of volunteers have been going to the affected municipalities since Wednesday, with particular emphasis on this Friday, November 1, All Saints’ Day, in the Horta Sud region. Some come to attempt cleaning tasks, dressed in brooms and. excavators, others transport food and basic necessities completely independently and improvised.
WhatsApp groups and social networks are angry. The number of people offering to help is overwhelming, but with the avalanche of people asking where to go, they can barely find an answer. The information is confusing and often counterproductive because it produces saturation in certain areas, which can be dangerous for the volunteers themselves. The same thing happens on the ground, where it is difficult to find a local police, civil guard or civil protection agent who organizes relief. Dozens of groups have created their own organizing spaces and seek to connect people who need help with those who have means: unions, neighborhood associations, fallaes and popular entities dedicated to collecting food and basic necessities.
“We take a large tool to clean and move the furniture, we head towards the south of La Torre following the instructions of the Civil Protection to do what is necessary. We are going on an adventure, they told us to come in and help where we see it, it is necessary,” explains Alejandro Calpe, from Valencia, one of the thousands of volunteers who carry shovels and brushes.
The wave of volunteers on Friday led Valencia City Hall to carry out traffic cuts and certain access points on the bridges that cross from València to La Torre mid-morning. The risk of injuries is high in a context where hospitals are close to saturation, giving priority to those injured by the storm. On Thursday, the Regional Emergency Secretariat, headed by Emilio Argüeso, said it was important for volunteers to communicate with the forward command post, located in Paiporta, to coordinate aid. “Let them come but let them contact each other to organize them,” Argüeso told the newspaper. They can also do it through the telephone numbers activated by the Generalitat Valenciana. The Regional Executive stressed: “As a gesture of deep gratitude for the assistance being provided to the affected populations, we ask you not to travel to these areas as the roads are collapsing and emergency services cannot access it.” Emergency situations insist that people do not travel with vehicles.
While the Generalitat Valenciana demanded an end to the volume of volunteers, the municipalities of Paiporta, Catarroja, Benetússer, Alfafar, Sedaví or Albal demanded popular support and organized their own volunteers. Few troops have arrived in the municipalities that lie on the other side of the Chiva ravine – or Rambla del Poyo – although the deployment of the army and heavy machinery makes the task easier. “The EMU or the army have not been seen here,” says Borja, one of the volunteers. He and his cousin Javier are part of a raid organized Thursday evening by the Civil Guard in the Alfafar-Benetússer area. On Friday morning, they gathered nine SUVs that were distributed to municipalities, carrying food, water, medical care and, in response to requests from local police officers in the area, evacuating cars with a trailer to clear certain roads. There are still hundreds of houses with vehicles blocking the doors and closed garages where new victims are expected.
“There are no police anywhere, the local police are present at certain roundabouts – on the roads which border the entrances to the municipalities – without walkies because they are out of battery. The action, he explains, is carried out by “small groups who do what they can”. There are also a lot of tragic tourists, “people with clean boots”, who spend their time watching, but in general it appears that the majority are trying to help.
On the afternoon of Thursday, the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, sent a statement in which he called for volunteers on Saturday at 7 a.m. to the Oceanographic Center of Valencia to coordinate with the volunteer platform. Many citizens report a feeling of absolute bad governance, with a lack of constant coordination, as they highlight on social media. “Solidarity is proportional to the lack of coordination,” explains Panxo, the singer of Zoo, who traveled voluntarily with another group.
Thus, according to the press release, this Saturday, November 2, 2024, the new Volunteer Coordination Center will come into operation on the ground floor of the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, as a point of reference for those participating in the response to the emergency caused by DANA.
To facilitate safe and coordinated transfer to affected areas, we have organized 50 buses that will depart from the coordination center starting at 7:00 a.m., with a capacity of 50 people per vehicle. Each group will have clear instructions and assigned tasks to ensure an effective response in each area. For the safety of volunteers, they must wear: rubber boots or mountain shoes suitable for muddy conditions; protective gloves (potentially dangerous materials in affected areas); face mask; water and food for the day. For any questions or needs, the telephone numbers 960737370 or 963312744 are available.
Valencia City Hall collection points
Valencia City Hall has set up a coordination point in the Plaza de la Iglesia de La Torre for volunteers who come from the urban area, although on Friday morning the local police did not authorize entry into this area for volunteers. security reasons. Both in La Torre, Castellar-Oliveral and in Horno de Alcedo, food and hygiene products are also distributed to those affected.
The mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, recalled that services throughout the city “could be reduced given that efforts are focused on our neighborhoods and we apologize and understand. “The situation is improving but there is still much to do.” Adding that “in all our points we serve not only the residents of Valencia but also all the municipalities concerned.”
The municipal council reminds and asks all residents: not to use private vehicles; that you are not traveling towards the southern zone; do not throw furniture and personal effects in the street since the collection service is concentrated in the neighborhoods; reduce water consumption and be responsible in its use, at dawn the pressure will be lowered to help; Follow instructions from local Valencia police regarding pedestrian access to the tower as heavy machinery is in operation; Instructions from the Local Police may be extended to other areas of the city if necessary to facilitate the work of the emergency services.
Likewise, the Federation of Neighborhood Associations of Valencia, in coordination with the City Hall, has set up a series of food collection points so that neighbors can make deliveries. All these food and hygiene products are then collected by municipal trucks to distribute aid to people affected by DANA. These collection points are: AVV Benimaclet. Av. Valladolid, 42 (11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4 p.m.-8 p.m.); AVV La Isla and Consell Joventut de València. C/ L’Alguer, 1; AVV Patraix, Plaça de Patraix, 13B (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.); AVV Nou Moles, rue Alcalde Albors, 22; AVV Natzaret. Falla Major Moraira, C/ Parc (10 a.m.-2 p.m.).
In addition, the Town Hall has also authorized the Petxina Complex to collect food from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. In all these points you can deliver water, cold meats, bread, cans of tuna, personal and household cleaning items, diapers and towels, brooms and rakes. Neither clothes nor blankets are collected.
