Furious residents in Spain’s Valencia feel abandoned after historic floods, and more rain is on the way
Search and rescue team members look for bodies following flooding in Chiva
Valencia, Spain (CNN) — The photos are happy occasions. A dad with two kids on holiday. Family pets with tails wagging. Teen daughters posing for selfies.
This is a gallery of the missing. DANA Desaparecidos is a social media effort to find those still unaccounted for in the devastating flash floods that swept through eastern Spain. At least 217 people are confirmed dead and the toll may climb higher.
In one miraculous rescue, a woman was found alive on Saturday after being trapped in her car for three days. Hopes are fading for those that remain missing, however.
At least 89 people are unaccounted for, the high court of the Valencia region said Tuesday, marking the first time officials have released data on the missing. Those numbers only include cases where families have provided information or biological samples to identify their relatives.
“There are still missing people to find, homes and businesses destroyed, buried under mud, and many people suffering from severe shortages,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said, pledging 10.6 billion euros to help victims.
Social media accounts such as DANA Desaparecidos have received dozens of reports of distressed families searching for their loved ones. Many communities have been cut off from communication for days.
The government hotline to report missing persons from the floods has been completely overwhelmed. Instead, their families and friends have turned to social media to get the word out.
On DANA Desparecidos, each photo has a description of one of those currently unaccounted for and details of their last known location. Others post photos of missing pets, their owners desperate to find animal companions.
One photo shows a woman linking arms with a friend, with a caption that reads: “Her name is Mila. She left yesterday at 1900 from Picanya to get to her home in Silla. She never arrived.”
Alba Lozano Asencio created the account with her boyfriend Luciano Esguerra. So far, about 30 people have been located and a number of pets, according to the DANA Desaparcideo organizers. Posts labeled “Localizado” – or “located” – are published to let users know when someone has been found, often simply cut off from communication. Now they are also getting requests for help with flood clean up.
“People feel helpless and the emergency services are overwhelmed,” Asencio told CNN. “I think an important part of the page is that it gives some kind of hope to people at this time.”
The slow and uncoordinated response to the crisis has angered and frustrated many here in Valencia.
Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia were berated by angry residents in a visit on Sunday to the hard hit area of Paiporta. Letizia, in particular, seemed shaken by the shouts of “murderers” as mud was flung at the royal couple. Prime Minister Sanchez was also there but was quickly whisked away by security.
The Spanish government announced Monday it was deploying 2,500 more troops to the eastern region, in response to the fury from residents.
By Monday night, the military expects to have some 7,800 troops present in the area, according to Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit chief Francisco Javier Marcos. That’s on top of the 5,223 Civil Guard personnel and 4,256 National Police officers that have already been mobilized.
Security forces have been searching for victims in ravines and underground garages, including a large parking lot at the Bonaire shopping center in Aldaia.
The military has also deployed a warship to Valencia, bringing helicopters, watercraft, trucks, food and emergency supplies.
Meanwhile, thousands of volunteers also continue to make their way into affected areas, many of them hiking long distances through mud to help their neighbors.
Pedro de Juan, 18, had seen scenes like this only in the movies but he showed up with a broom and bucket to help.
“It’s amazing how the government says it’s not our fault. It’s someone else’s fault. But at this time we have to put our hands together and help each other,” he told CNN. “The military and police are helping but not as much as we hoped and they are days late.”
“Frustrating is the word,” said Francisco Bosque, another volunteer who is hoping to help friends in flooded areas. “You feel completely powerless. All you can do is come here and show up.”
The weather system that triggered the floods is still impacting the area and some volunteer buses were turned back as a precaution.
Spain’s AEMET service issued a red alert for the Barcelona area due to heavy rain through Monday afternoon, but the alert has since passed. Barcelona City Council also issued a flood warning on its website, urging people to take care and avoid areas where flooding may occur.
Airport operator AENA said 70 flights from Barcelona’s El Prat Airport had been canceled or severely delayed, while 18 others had been diverted due to the storm. The weather was also affecting train and metro services accessing the airport, the operator said.
Video on social media showed one of the airport buildings partially submerged due to the heavy downpour, with water streaming through parts of the roof and some passengers wading through ankle-deep water.
AEMET also issued a new yellow and orange alert for the areas of Castellon, Valencia and Alicante, warning that sudden, heavy rains could cause more flooding in already-devastated areas.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Lauren Kent, Stephanie Halasz, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Michael Rios contributed reporting.
