The death toll from the floods in Spain is shocking. That's 205 people, and several dozen are still wanted. “My husband went out to get the car and never came back.” “I ran away from home when the water was up to my neck.” Terrifying relationships. Heavy downpour and sudden flood. Residents are asking why no one warned them about the flood in advance.
Eight people died in a garage on the outskirts of Valencia during a flash flood. Funeral home workers dig out their bodies.
– I'm lucky to be alive because I know how many people died. Many people don't know where their relatives are, and I understand the pain they feel, says Carmen Molina.
Emergency services are still searching underground garages and basements. The military helps pump out the water. Authorities fear that the number of victims will rise because dozens of people are still missing. Those who survived recall how they saved themselves when the element attacked.
– Due to my nerves, I couldn't find the keys to the gate, I finally found them in the kitchen when the water was already up to my neck. I opened the gate, and then the neighbors managed to catch me, holding each other and throwing me a rope. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be telling this story, says Isabel Seradilla.
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– My husband went to get the car and couldn't come back home. The current carried everything, hitting the walls with garbage containers and cars. Imagine how terrifying it was, says Maria Pena, a resident of Paiporta.
The water has already receded, revealing the extent of the destruction. Many bridges are destroyed and 75,000 houses are still without electricity. Many people have not been reached by rescuers yet.
– The worst is yet to come. Where I live, nothing can be delivered, food cannot be delivered. To buy some bread, you have to walk at least 15 kilometers, says Rafael Lopez, a resident of the Valencia region.
Damage in Spain after heavy rainsReuters
The residents have a grudge against the authorities
The services started removing wrecked vehicles that were carried away by the flood wave. Volunteers reach the flooded areas on foot to help those who have lost everything.
– I came here with a lot of people to help clean up this mess, and it's amazing. Thousands of people are coming from Valencia, it's like a huge corridor of people helping the victims of this incredible disaster – reports Bart, a Dutchman living in Valencia.
They don't just help clean up. They bring food and water, but it is still far from enough.
– Many people died here. What else to say? We need help. No matter how much there is, we need much more. We won't be able to repair the damage even in a month or two, says Amber Gonzalez, a resident of Paiporta.
Embittered residents resent the authorities for not warning them about the impending disaster. – There were places where it was already pouring at five in the afternoon. Why did they wait to send out warnings not to go home until eight o'clock in the evening? – asks Hector Bolivar, a resident of Valencia.
Main photo source: Reuters