Valencia’s Suburbs Begin to Reopen After Catastrophic Flooding
In the wake of the devastating flooding that struck eastern Spain, some shops and businesses in the suburbs of Valencia have begun to reopen their doors just over a week after the disaster. Cafe owner Pepa Juanes expressed her relief, noting that her establishment was fortunate as the floodwaters largely spared her appliances. She has already resumed operations, aiming to serve hot drinks to the multitude of volunteers who are tirelessly assisting with the clean-up efforts.
“We’ve been fortunate that many of the refrigerators are operational. Just now, this man fixed the dishwasher. They’re working on the other refrigerator, but everything else is functioning well. So we’ve been cleaning thoroughly,” she shared with a sense of optimism.
However, the story is quite different for others in the area. Ana Lima Atienza, the owner of Divinee Café, painted a bleaker picture: “To reopen, I will need at least a month, if not a month and a half, or even two months. We are without refrigerators, freezers, or any cold storage,” she lamented. “Today, at least we can utilize the street. People have begun to clear out the debris, but this process is going to take a significant amount of time.”
Unprecedented Disaster
This catastrophic event has been labeled Spain’s worst natural disaster in decades, with at least 219 lives lost after torrential rainfall inundated Valencia at the end of October. Meteorologists have reported that a year’s worth of rain fell on the region in a mere eight hours.
As the recovery efforts continue, authorities have officially declared 493 people missing, although they acknowledge that the actual number could be higher. An additional 54 bodies remain unidentified, adding to the tragedy’s distressing toll. In total, around 36,605 individuals have been rescued from the floodwaters, according to official reports.
Counting the Cost
The full extent of the damage remains uncertain, but Spain’s Consortium for Insurance Compensation, a public-private entity tasked with handling insurance claims for extreme risks like flooding, anticipates spending at least €3.5 billion in compensation. The consortium has received 116,000 insurance claims related to flood damage, with 60% of these claims pertaining to vehicles and 31% focused on residential properties.
Spain’s Association of Insurance Companies predicts that the flooding will set a historic record for payouts. The Transport Ministry has successfully repaired 232 kilometers of road and rail tracks, though the high-speed train line connecting Valencia and Madrid remains heavily damaged.
In response to the crisis, the central government has approved a relief package exceeding €10 billion, aimed at supporting families, businesses, and local municipalities. However, there has been considerable public outcry regarding the regional authorities’ slow response to the disaster, with many residents feeling abandoned and forced to manage their own recovery with little assistance from government agencies or emergency services.
The emergency operation initiated by central authorities has expanded to include more than 17,000 troops and police officers. This comprehensive operation comprises 8,000 soldiers, including 2,100 military personnel from emergency units that specialize in disaster response, alongside 9,200 police officers dispatched from various regions across Spain.
Moreover, thousands of ordinary citizens have stepped in to lend a hand, although no definitive figure has been established regarding the total number of volunteers contributing to the extensive clean-up efforts.
